Catching up...

So it got kinda hectic there for about a month and a half.  I didn't have much time (or patience) to post.  But today, a snowy, cold, lazy day, is THE day to catch up on all that has happened since our last post.  Well, it will be abridged.  But we hope you enjoy.  And we intend to continue to add more things to celebrate in days to come.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Yay!

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The ceiling moves into the 21st century

So, we've been working away at the house.  Our awesome wall fixer guy, Brett, has been especially hard at work.  I feel bad for his rotator cuffs.  Seriously.  My arms went to sleep watching him work. 

Before.

So this is what it started out looking like.  It was that pokey mudded ceiling, circa 1974 or something.  Kinda not my favorite if I had my choice.

Better.

Now, it is like this!  Yay, Brett!  You saved us from a life of popped helium balloons, and dusty little pokey things!

And check out what my Dirtbike Rider did!  He created a portal into a new world.  I knew he was pretty powerful, but sheesh.  (If you look at athe photo's in the first post on the house, you can see the long long living room with no door.  Now there is a door.  That door you can see through the NEW PORTAL OF INTERGALACTIC TRAVEL is the front door.  So, rather than having to walk down a loooong dark hallway: zoop!  Enter.)

Before: Water Damage in Shorty's room.

After: all better.



Look at these cute feetprints in the drywall dust.



My hard working princess.  It's wall washing day!  Yayyyy!



These are the kinds of pictures I get when I give the camera to Shorty.


That's our latest Update.  We are still working at it all.  This week, we pour concrete for a few things, including the front steps.  Wish us luck.  Mostly just that we can keep our heads on straight while we are in such a state of disarray!  Wahoo!  What a ride.  I'll be glad when we can settle into the house for the Holidays.

Happy Halloween to you and yours!

 
 

THIS is worth celebrating!

After an entire year of insanity, we have achieved home buying success.  Check out our awesome awesome awesome backyard.  Did I mention it is Awesome....?

The fun part about it is that NOW....comes the work.

Wait.  Is that the fun part?

Well, it makes for good family bonding time...and I KNOW my kids are enjoying the songs I have been making up for their listening pleasure.  I have to admit that they are brilliant.

 

 

This is the Living room Before.  Icky, dirty, filthy and gross.  But have no fear!!!!







We are attacking it with great fervor, and soon it will be quite lovely.  Here it is After....well, really not after.  But sort of...in transit.







We also have the joys of wallpaper removal.  Jealous yet?















 Luckily only 2 of the bedrooms had it.  And it's mostly finished.  We can hardly wait for the new paint.  It's going to be like a whole new world (hey, that reminds me of a song I can apply to our worktime tomorrow.)

So, here is the breakdown, so you will stay tuned.
We are getting NEW NEW NEW

windows
a new back door
a lovely roof repair
new potties
new showers
new bathroom vanities
new flooring throughout the main level
new lighting fixtures
a new hearth for our old woodstove
new paint for the kitchen cupboards (i'm saving that before/after shot for the day that it's done so you can OoOOh and Aahaaaah with me at that juncture.)

Oh!  I almost forgot my very most exciting thing:  we get a dishwasher!  It's almost been 5 years without one....I can hardly wait!!!!  (ok, my three manual dishwashers are who is excited.)
Also a new fridge and stove, cause...the stove was covered in grimy grimy grody grime.  And the fridge must have run away from all the nastiness, cause I never saw it.

So, I will try to keep this bloggy updated, if/when I get a chance to play on the computer at all over the next several weeks.  (seriously, keeping up one house while you are helping to renovate another one....not conducive to organization at all.)

Happy Happy Celebration Day to you!
Be sure to celebrate the small things.

We sat at the feet of Giants

I have homeschooled my children for about 9 years now.  I will always remember the day that my Dad called me with some information on a "new" method of homeschooling that I might be interested in.  It changed my life.

I had not previously considered homeschooling, in fact, I had visions of cute backpacks, and lunchboxes, and artwork on my refrigerator.  But the reality was, and still is, that I have a few issues with the public school system.  But that's a completely different subject.

This last week, we attended the first Woodsmoke Gathering in Tetonia, ID.  First of all, what a great location.  We literally "sat at the feet of giants" all week, with a great view of the Grand Teton Mountains.  One could feel the history, and the awe of being in the presence of such greatness.

But the giants to which I referred in the title of this post are of a more figurative variety.  They are the same sort of edifice as the Teton's, but you do not stand in awe unless you know more than that which meets the eye.

This Woodsmoke Gathering was a "re-encampent" in the old style.  Think Mountain Men and Trappers.  Think Colonial times and great explorers.  Think wide open spaces and fresh air, good food and great company.  We had all of those things, just as the original campers did.

Our family has attended several primitive skills gatherings, but this was the first of this specific kind, a brainchild of Dave Wescott and Steve Watts, two of the "giants" who see the value of this work.  The purpose was somewhat similar to the other gatherings we've attended, and that was to educate and experience.  Many skills were shared and each of the students got into it, up to their elbows.  I will be forever grateful to those mentors who showed up to share.  I saw the light in my children's eyes as they learned and discovered and gained confidence in themselves.  What an amazing event, to give us so much in one week.

The method I use for homeschooling is the Leadership education model, or A Thomas Jefferson Education.  (I have somewhat fallen off and jumped back on the "conveyor belt" model through the years. My most recent fall was a week before we left for this gathering.  What clarity this event gave me, as to the realities of what my children need/want.)

I know that this blog entry will be quite lengthy.  I want to get it all down before it slips my mind.  I don't know if anyone reads it anyway...I kind of hope not :)  I am just now getting to the meat of what's been bouncing around in my head.  Buckle up.

In TJEd, as given by Dr. Oliver DeMille, there are 8 keys of great teaching and 5 phases of learning.  For the first time in my life, I viewed this in a very real sense, and in 3 dimensions, and in living color.  As this truth came to light for me, I wandered about in awe.  I would quietly observe, hopefully looking entranced by the knowledge being shared, but really, I was making connections in my mind.  These connections are a long, long time in the making.  I have been puzzling about this for these last 9 years!!!

The phases of learning are these:

1. Core phase - in which a student builds their core foundation.  Right and Wrong, good and bad, true and false are learned.  The "giants" of our last week each found core phase in the outdoors.  Something grabbed their attention, whether it was a children's book about Daniel Boone or some sort of artifact landing in their little paw.
2. Love of Learning Phase - in which a child begins to experience the exhilaration of expanding ones horizons.  The "giants" each had encounters with great writers, they each quoted Kephart, Nessmuk, Holding, and.ironically, each others books.  It is evident that in their young years, they each dove in with both feet, heart and soul to learn about primitive skills, and all that goes along with it.
3. Scholar Phase - in which a student becomes a scholar.  This phase holds thousands of hours of voluntary study.  A student begins to realize their passion or mission in life.  Many of the "giants" could quote straight out of their favorite books, stating what was important to them, and why.  Each has a passion.  Each knows a great deal.
4. Depth Phase - in which one explores one subject in great depth, to their heart's content (this can take years) before moving on to another subject with the same goal in mind. By comparison, Love of Learning is more about breadth; learning a lot about a lot of subjects. Each of the "giants" was an expert at something, most of them about many things! This man could teach fire, that one knots, another could teach everything there is to know about wild edibles, and so on. This phase is about gaining expertise, it seems.
5. Mission Phase - in which a person begins to apply all of their knowledge and wisdom, and share it freely with those who are ready.  This phase is almost extinct by the "conveyor belt" model, because most people of proper mission phase age are thinking only of retirement, and a house on the beach.  What a waste of valuable resources!  That is what our society would have us do.  Each of the "giants" was old enough to retire and take to the recliner, but instead camped out with us, sleeping on cots and roughing it in the name of passing on all that they have.

Something else that I noted was a commonality of purpose.  Each of these men saw the value of what they were learning, as a means of helping people to find themselves.  They saw an opportunity to liberate the captive, to teach people of their inherent value through the use of God's creations.  And they have done this NOT at the risk of their own families.  That is the second part of the common thread I noticed:  they each chose family first.

Quickly, the 8 keys of great teaching are:
1. Classics, not Textbooks
2. Mentors, not professors
3. Inspire, not require
4. Structure time, not content
5. Quality, not conformity
6. Simplicity, not complexity
7. You, not them
8. Secure, not stressed

The next generation.....

I could go on an on about how each of these was present, but by now your bum is numb, your eyes are blurring, and you have probably quite given up reading my nonsense.  I almost can't restrain myself for all of the excitement I feel at having been exposed to truth, to greatness, to true mentors!  This is what it's all about!  This is education!  Finally, after years of looking and wondering what was meant by these phases and keys, I understand.  The clouds have parted, and I can see.

The final word:  if everyone could be exposed to true mentors in a field in which they are deeply interested, this world would be a different place all together.  We witnessed mentors/mentees to the third generation.  Olsen mentored Wescott who mentored so many through his educating career.  Kochanski mentored Smith who, likewise, has made a career of passing it on.  The originals of this generation, the classics, the great ones were there.  They are fulfilling their purpose on this earth.

And we sat at their feet for a week.

"The Giants" - Goring, Wescott, Holladay, Olsen, Kochanski, Watts and Smith

Share Your Girls Camp experiences!

So I find myself with so many great ideas for girls camp that I am stumped.  It's a common paradox of life for me :)

So I thought I would take a poll and ask YOU about your girls camp memories.  I am not about reinventing the wheel, since it's been perfected many times over by great leaders everywhere!  Girls camp is such a fun experience for most girls (ok, honestly, as a girl, I did NOT have any fun at Girls Camp, but that's another story, and I'll be nice.)

Here are my questions, please reply on this blog, or by email if it's easier.  I really look forward to hearing your answers, because I know it will help me know what works and what doesn't.

1.  What is the most important/memorable thing you ever learned at Girls Camp?
2.  What traditions did your ward/stake have for Girls Camp?
3.  Was there anything you remember that wasn't enjoyable about Girls Camp?  What was it and why was it not fun?
4.  What is the most important thing that you think youth today need to be reminded of?  (This can be a principle, a YW value, etc.)  How would YOU teach it at Girls Camp?
5.  Was there ever a Girls Camp Devotional or activity that really hit home for you?  Please describe it.
6.  What could have made Girls Camp more powerful for you, if anything?
7.  What are some of the things you STILL remember and use all the time from girls camp?
8.  What was your favorite craft?

Oooh, I'm really excited to read your replies.  I feel so strongly that Girls Camp is one of the most important events of a Young Woman's life, and I want to be sure to make ours awesome this year (and next...and the one after that...then maybe they'll be sick of me.)

Thanks for your help! 

Movies that teach values

Every summer, LDS girls from age 12-17 have a summer camp.  We call it Girls Camp, and it is the best event of the year when you are that age.  It's a rite of passage.  It's a time to bond with your peers and your leaders.  It is time to be away from the world.  I did not so much enjoy my years of Girls Camp, but that's another story.  As a leader, I believe in it wholeheartedly as a means of sharing testimony and the spirit with the young women.

I was recently chosen as the Camp Director for my Stake (which consists of 7 Wards from 2 small towns.)

I am so excited, and I feel like I am pulling things together for it.  There's a lot left to do, but we are getting this elephant ATE!

As soon as I received the call to do this job, I became overwhelmed by it's hugeness.  I am in charge of arranging for speakers & activities and creatively sneaking in spiritual experiences.  I know I can do it and am looking forward to the challenge. 

The purposes of camp in general are to help young women to come unto Christ by:

• Confirming their identity as daughters of God
• Recognizing and cultivating the Spirit.
• Keeping baptismal covenants.
• Preparing for the future roles.

(Taken from a Camp handbook put out by the church)

So, my mind has been racing about, seeking great ideas and inspiration.  I have had my theme for some time now:

It is from the movie UP, combined with a talk from General Conference a few months ago. 

I ended up with this theme because the theme for the church worldwide is Arise and Shine Forth.  I think UP is a great theme for this!  And watching the movie, I see so many great applications. 

Up is one of my favorite movies.  I absolutely love it, and was so touched by the many lessons I saw when I watched it the first time.  Here are just a few:

1. I love Ellie's attitude.  "Adventure is out there!"  Isn't it true?  Life is the greatest adventure of all.  I am going to tie in different adventures, such as a temple marriage, motherhood, etc.
2. The world built up all around Carl's home, and he didn't want to sell or to give in to the developers (the world), so he lifted himself above the world, and set off to find Paradise.  (Paradise Falls that is...)
3. Carl and Ellie were dedicated to each other.  Their relationship was loving and selfless, which is so rarely portrayed in movies these days.

I am really excited.  I feel like we have good material for devotionals here.

So we are going to decorate with lots of balloons, and fun things that go UP.

So, here is where we get to the Movies that teach values issue.
I have been worried about how to do the Skits that are a tradition at every girls camp.  The camp director before me had so many fun ideas, I feel like she used them all up :)  Last year, she had them draw a plot (based on traditional fairy tales), a setting (such as a farm, a hospital, etc.) and a movie genre from hats, and she gave each ward a skit bag with props to use in their skit.  So they were kind of impromptu and fun.  How could I top such a thing?

Well, tonight I came up with a good plan I think.
Here's what we'll do:

Each ward will be assigned a Young Women's Value (There are 8 values that the girls recite each week in church.  They are great values that we each should be striving to live.)

Each value has a corresponding scripture and value color.  The wards will be identified by their value color throughout the weeklong camp.  For the skit, they will be assigned a fun childrens movie that (hopefully) will correspond with their value.  They will use one of their midweek activities to watch this movie and then have the girls analyze it to see how their value was shown in the movie.  Then they will create a Mormon Message using that information.  (If you don't know what a Mormon Message is, or if you haven't seen one in a while, take a moment to watch one here:  Mormon Messages .  They are awesome!

So, here is my list so far.  It is in the idea stage, and may be changed.  I will probably watch each movie over to make sure it is safe to recommend for a church activity.  (i.e. would I watch them if the Bishop was in the room?)

Faith - A Bug's Life (because the ants had to have faith in Flik in order to be saved from Hopper.)
Divine Nature - Tangled (because Rapunzel finds out who she truly is...her "divine nature")
Individual Worth - Horton Hears a Who (Because a Person's a Person, no matter how small!)
Knowledge - Enchanted (I am not sure about this one.  I was thinking Enchanted because she makes the house all clean and redecorates and makes herself a dress using knowledge she must have gained somewhere....is it too much of a stretch?)
Choice and Accountability - (because Cuzko makes choices and has consequences)
Good Works - I am thinking Incredibles (because the Incredibles favorite thing is to serve others.  I wish there was one a little better....suggestions?)
Integrity - Cars (because Lightning learns the importance of being a good person...er...um...car)
Virtue - Cinderella (because Cinderella is such a good person!  Her price is far above rubies....)

So, what do you think?  That's what I did today.  I guess I could have done some other things, buuuuttt I didn't.  :)