General Conference Prep Singing Time

I came up with a great idea for Singing time to prepare the children for General Conference. (This alternative could be done the Sunday after, but you'll have to do your own prep work). This is perfect for us because it will be our primary program and so this will be something totally different for them from practicing for the program.


How will it work?
Have 3 columns. One for pictures of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency.  Second for topic that talks were given on. And Third Primary Songs.


Since I couldn't even remember which topic was talked on by which apostle, I don't suggest trying to get the children to remember. Instead I suggest taping the three pages together that will go together and then cutting them apart into the three sections on on the tape so they are like puzzle pieces. When the child matches the talk to the apostle it will fit to the apostle like a puzzle, same with the song to the talk.


I have made up .jpgs of the apostles with their names under their pictures. But it will be up to you to take a sheet of paper and write the topics and then another with the songs (it could be done as only two puzzle pieces if you are trying to save time and paper. For the songs I first went though and tried to match the songs from the program with topics then filled in where I could with other primary songs. You can use any songs that you think your Primary children will connect with.  The topics I have next to their names are the topics of their talks at the April 2010 General Conference. 
I hope these files work for each of you.
          name (not in order)topicsong suggestions

• Pres Monson -He is Risen-"He Sent His Son"
• Pres Eyring -Missionary work - "I Am a Child of God"
• Pres Uchtdorf -Patience- "Reverently Quietly", "Keep the Commandments", "Love One Another"
• Pres Packer -Priesthood & families- "Families Can be Together Forever", "Love is Spoken Here"
• Elder Perry -Women in the Church-  "The Church of Jesus Christ"
• Elder Bednar - Be Prepared- "Saturday" p196, "I Hope They call Me on a Mission" 
• Elder Holland -Pure Hearts- "4th Art. of Faith", "When I Am Baptized"
• Elder Oaks -Priesthood -"The Holy Ghost"
• Elder Scott -Christ Lives- "I Feel My Savior's Love", "Beautiful Savior"
• Elder Cook -Follow Christ- "Come Follow Me"
• Elder Christofferson -Scriptures- "Follow the Prophet"
• Elder Ballard -Motherhood- "Happy Family", "Love is Spoken Here", "Family is of God"
• Elder Hales -Teach the Children- "I Know That My Savior Loves Me", "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus"
• Elder Anderson - Faith- "I Lived in Heaven", "I Feel My Savior's Love", "4th Art of Faith", "I Know My Father Lives"
• Elder Nelson -Family History- "I Love to See the Temple"

My goal in this is to help the children recognize that the songs we sing teach us the same lessons that the Prophets today are teaching us, because everyone, of all ages need to learn them. Also to help them get to know the Apostles a little better. 

The End of the Troop

NO Joke all these bugs were together on my back porch. I did push them a little more together to get them all in one shot. All I need are two pill bugs and a lady bug and I'd have a complete set (although the spider isn't a Black widdow, its a jumping spider, and I don't think the flyish is the right type either).  It was too cool to pass up taking a picture. You try to collect them all.

I want to do what you do

Little Al is in a stage where he wants to do what we are doing. He wants to eat what we're eating. Last Saturday my husband had his hat (one pictured above) on while doing yard work. As soon as he came in and took it off, Al picked it up and played with it the rest of the morning. It was dang cute. Sometimes his desire to do what we are isn't as much as cute as it is hard to handle since he can't exactly eat everything we can or who what we can yet. But for the most part he is one cute kid.

New Daily Addition

I have started watching a friend of mine's little girl for her each day. She was born back in June, and her mother needed t go back to work. As our friends, they approached us to see how we'd feel about being her caregiver during the day, since I'm already a stay at home mom. My husband and I talked it over and felt this was a great opportunity for us and felt really good about it. Kat is a darling little infant. Most of the time she is so sweet. Already I've seen night and day contrast to my little Al, and how he was at this stage. Yes every baby is different. Kat for example, doesn't like to poop nor does she like the poop to remain in her diaper. She will scream as loud and long as she needs to until it is fixed. In contrast, I just had to get into the habit of occasionally  checking Al's diaper to see if it needed changing. 
I've had to adjust, during the day its as though I'm a mother of 2 now, and its been difficult at times to flow with. In some ways its been just fine. It has helped me get more of a routine for the day, and the day seems to go fast with two. Shopping at times as been easier than I thought it would be and at other times its been so much harder I feel like never doing it again.
Little Al has gone through all the stages of having a new sibling around. First he was excited that she was here because he wanted her to play with him, then realized that she couldn't and decided she was no fun. Then he became extremely jealous of the time I was spending with her, and finally he became posessive and wants to help do everything- feed, hold, burp, hug, push the stroller...  Its been interesting to watch. I wonderful when its finally time for him to have a sibling if he'll have to go through it all over again when he realizes that they don't go home at the end of the day.
On another note, a co-worker of my husband wanted an infant New Orleans Saints cheerleader outfit. But couldn't find one anywhere that small. My husband volunteered me to make one since I love to sew costumes.  She gave me the picture of what she wanted it to look like and I had to figure it out. Since patterns for cheerleader outfits don't come that small. I used the 2year old pattern (smallest I could find) and then an infant skirt and vest pattern to use for the size. I am very happy with how well it turned out. The picture is of Kat modeling the Cheerleader outfit. 

Charades (reviewing songs

Last Sunday, (last Sunday of Aug) I played charades with SR primary. I knew it would be beyond JR's ability so they had something else. They were acting out the titles of the songs we are doing for the program. Most of the children I had to give them ideas of how to do it, or straight out tell them how to do it. Since they were only songs from the program the children knew it was one of eight options.  
A child would come up, draw out of the jar. Then we'd discus with our backs to the other children what they were going to do. I would suggest you doing an example first. 
We did things like '7 words'- 7 fingers up,  '2nd word' -point to the 2nd finger or hold up a 2, 'pointer to forehead' for KNOW. '6 word'- six fingers up, 'arms cross chest'- love. Guess...... 'I Know that My Savior Loves Me'. We also did scenes from the song. I allowed the children to use sign language or hand gesture we used to learn the song. They could act out anything they thought would help the other children guess the song. Get the idea? After the song was guessed we would all sing the song as practice. 
It was a bit rough but I think they the children really enjoyed doing something so different.
If I ever do this again I am going to write up ideas on what I could tell them to do for each song so I'm not caught off guard either.

Otto the Octopus (Reviewing for the Program)

Last Sunday, (last Sunday of Aug) I used my puppet octopus as my visual for JR primary. It was sort of a last minute desperation. I've had the puppet for YEARS. It was a birthday gift from a friend a very long time ago, so I can't say where she purchased it. I needed something to encourage them to sing louder and keep their attention of the children. To each tentacle of the octopus I pinned a small piece of paper with one of our program songs written on it. 
When we started I introduced my friend Otto. I explained that Otto is very shy, but that he loves to hear singing. As long as there is lots of loud singing he will stay out. But if it gets too quite he is going to hide because he won't feel welcome anymore. Then Otto will pick the next child, one he say singing really well, to let them know how much he enjoyed their singing; to choose one of his tentacles for the next song.
They were so attentive and singing well I never once had to have Otto hide. They loved him. They were captivated by my octopus. Wow I never knew a simple puppet could be so entertaining. I am going to have to bring my friend Otto again sometime. 

Side note: although JR primary loved Otto, I did not try it with SR, and I also took him to nursery with me. The other nursery children who will start Sunbeams at the change of the new year, loved him, while the little ones new to nursery were scared of him.

Labor Day Weekend

We went to Phoenix to spend the 3 day weekend with my parents. Originally we were going to go home so I could do Primary Singing Time on Sunday, but when we moved the program back a week I decided to take a week off. It was so nice to go to Relief Society for once. I had the sub still work on the songs with them so it will be okay. They are doing well.
We drove up after my husband got off work on Friday. Everything has been really low key. Saturday we went to breakfast, to the temple to do Sealings for our family names, and then we all went to Mattas Mexican Cantina for dinner. Mattas recently re-opened at the Mesa Riverview and I am so happy happy happy that they did. 
Sunday we went to church with my parents (to their ward) and then family dinner. That evening we had everyone over for a gathering for my dad's 60th birthday. I hope he enjoyed seeing his friends.  We had a full house and ate lots of Texas Sheet Cake. Mmmm I love Texas Sheet Cake. The frosting is full of pecans (which I'm allergic to) but I ate them anyway. I hope I'm not going to regret that.

brother levitt with birthday boy (my dad)

Do like the Animals

I found this in one of the books I inherited. I copied them out of the book and laminated them. But all you would need to do have a picture of them you found off the internet, or write down the names, or even just tell the children that this is what we are going to do.

• hop like a Kangaroo
• sway like an elephant
• wiggle like a puppy
• clap like a seal
• rattle like a snake
• peck like a woodpecker
• march like an ant
• flap your arms like a butterfly
• scratch like a monkey

You could think of your own

• chomp like an alligator
• walk like a bear
• bounce like a bunny
• gallop like a horse
• smile like a hyena 

Since we are doing the Songs for a Race preparing. We've been spending all our time in JR primary only singing each song once through. They didn't get to play any of the games I had planed. When we went fishing they were only able to catch one fish (and we did that two weeks in a row).  So I've decided I need to make singing through our songs the game for them. 

This activity, I'd have a child draw one of the cards before we'd start the song, and I'd then give them CLEAR instructions of what that means and how to play. The final stipulation was that if they couldn't do the action correctly as instructed their teacher could "bop" them on the head to sit down and they were no longer invited to join in the action. This was enough that not one child has to be "bopped"

JR primary LOVES activities like this. SR primary enjoys them, but I have found they get much too rowdy while doing them, I avoid doing it with them now.

This activity does not actually encourage them to sing louder or more. But they will be paying attention more and watching you, and often those who are normally don't sing because they are miss behaving will sing for this activity. 

A Boy and His Ball

My sister had a "Back to fall" Boutique at her home Aug 23. Al and I went up. Before we left we went to the Walmart in town because they were clearancing out all their current stock of fabric before they move to their new building. Al was so good while it took so long to get all my fabric cut. As his reward I bought him this blue ball. He loved that ball. He hugged it until he fell asleep. 
So darling. 

Go Dbacks!

I'm a Dback fan. My parents and in-laws are Dback fans (cute Dback clothes thanks to my in-laws). My husband can cheer for the Dbacks, as long as they aren't playing the White Sox. 

Back at the beginning of August we went up to Phoenix to go to a Dbacks game with my parents. It was going to be our only opportunity to go this year. It was a sold out game. We rode the light rail into downtown and watched the Dbacks play the Padres. 

At the start of the bottom of the ninth it looked like we were going to go into extra innings. It was late. We still have to drive ALL THE WAY HOME that night. I didn't want to leave before the game was over. Then Chris Young hit a homer and won the game for the Dbacks. He was my hero that night.

Nice time. We really enjoyed ourselves. I love going to sports events. I'm so hyped for college football season!!!

FAIL on someone's part

I gave this picture to my brother to post on failblog.org, Fail blog haven't used and its been a month so I'm posting it. I thought it was so funny. Both the Green and Yellow were lit on at the same time. Half the drivers going through the intersection didn't know how to handle it. there was even a cop out there for a little while and the driver were still confused and ignoring the police officer. 

I don't know what was causing it. There was a worker out there working on it. This was funny to me.