Drew's Talk

      Families are important to Heavenly Father’s plan for us. Heavenly Father sent me to my family. Children have the responsibility to learn the things their parents teach them. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children the things Heavenly Father wants them to know. Parents are accountable to God and young children are accountable to their parents. 

Joseph Smith said, “If children are to be brought up in the way they should go, to be good citizens here and happy hereafter, they must be taught. It is idle to suppose that children will grow up good, while surrounded with wickedness, without cultivation. It is folly to suppose that they can become learned without education.” 

I know that if parents and children both do their duty, we can have happy families and happy communities.

Memory Work

As part of our family home evenings we recently began reciting memory work. We recite poems, scriptures, nursery rhymes, scout requirements, or anything that we choose. This past week the kids thought it would be fun to add the extra challenge of trying to tickle the person performing. It was HARD!!! I did not like the feather close to my mouth! Luke was so funny. He didn't want anyone to put a feather in his face so he tickled his own face with it while he recited Humpty Dumpty.

Sledding

We had one opportunity to sled this year as there was an abysmal lack of snow. I bought some cheap sleds that were apparently too cheap but we still had tons of fun! Luke didn't even need a sled. He reminded me of a penguin playing in the snow.

Spencer's Sweet Shop

Spencer came up with the idea to sell suckers to kids at school. Travis, in the spirit of entrepreneurship, encouraged Spencer and helped him come up with a plan and a way to track sales. After a trip to Sam's Club, Spencer was in business. First he set up shop at the park and in front of our house. Other than the guy that gave him $5, sales were slow. The first day at school he didn't sale anything. Spencer recruited two friends at school to help push sales. After about a week, things were going really well when he was told he couldn't sale at school anymore. Now Spencer hits the road with Travis whenever he can to sell at movie showings. Last night he sold 3 to the good people of Supai. He hiked them in 8 miles to the little village at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I guess if he doesn't want to hike the rest out he'll have to eat them! His goal is to earn enough for an iPad. You can do it Spencer!!!

Bria's Accomplishment

Bria accomplished a really big goal recently. She finished her yellow book! She has been doing a few lessons a week in the mornings while waiting for school to start. I am so proud of her hard work! Now she is working on the purple book otherwise known as First Grammar Lessons. She memorized The Caterpillar by Christina G. Rosetti from the purple book and loves to say it to anyone who will listen. Here it is for your reading pleasure.

The Caterpillar

by Christina G. Rossetti

Brown and furry

Caterpillar in a hurry,

Take your walk

To the shady leaf, or stalk.

May no toad spy you,

May the little birds pass by you;

Spin and die,

To live again a butterfly.

One of the more painful moments from house hunting this winter was when Luke took a dive on the ice while dancing around on it with his hands in his pockets.

He has this crazy coping mechanism that allows him to shut down when he's really stressed out. He just makes himself go to sleep. He use to use it for nursery a lot. Thankfully he hasn't needed to use it much lately! Poor guy had a pretty beat up face and swollen lip for awhile.