Little Pioneer Children CSB Ou216

Next weekend our stake is having their pioneer day event. Our ward was assigned to preform Children's Songbook hymn 216, "Little Pioneer Children"
I had heard it before but never sung it. I teach a CTR 6 class so I am no longer the chorister. But as the chorister tried to teach it today (for preforming it Saturday). The thought came that this would be tons easier if she has a flip-chart so all the kids even those not here today could just slip right into the song. Then the next thought was, I could make her some pages.
After Singing time I stopped our chorister in the hall to ask if she wanted flip chart pages made for her to use. Now she almost never uses visuals to teach her songs to Junior primary. (I have no idea what she does for senior). Now that isn't my style, but each person who is called is given inspiration and the allowance to do their calling to the best of their ability. So I didn't know how she'd respond. But she seemed relieved by the offer. I also said that any time she would like a flip-chart made all she need to do is facebook message me or call me and I'd be happy to make something up for her.
Thought I would share this with all ya'll.
Right click on the images to download each page
OR click here to go to a download link

Hope this helps someone. Happy Pioneer Day.

Making Cookies

We had fun on Monday making us some Valentines Cookies. We then delivered them to our neighbors and friends after a FHE lesson on loving our neighbors. 

Happy Valentines day

and

Happy Birthday Arizona

New Years

It snowed almost 4 inches in Arizona. Crazy huh. Well we did what anyone in our circumstances would, we panicked. No we played in it before it melted. Since it was most all but gone by noon.

First it was difficult finding the right sort of clothes to play in snow. Since this happens once ever 5 or so years (to have enough snow to actually play in).

The girls didn't know what to think of it. For the most part they didn't like it and you'd think they thought they were being punished.

Daddy and Al build a snow man. We used fruit for the eyes and mouth. A baby carrot for the nose.

We received more snow at once than had happened in more than 20 years.

We wanted to spend New Years Eve doing something as a family. So we went out to Denny's for breakfast.

All ready for bed, the new year has begun. (this photo is New Years night- bed time)

Our december the 24 (and 25)

We got up and drove home from Mesa. 

then that evening we went to my husband's family for Christmas Eve dinner and enjoying each other's company. At first we thought we'd play waiting there for my husband's brother to arrive in town so the kids could see their Uncle but by 6pm our children were exhausted and needed to go to bed.
We put them to bed and tried to get things done before we went to bed. 

Santa came. The girls got Disney Princess baby dolls and then from their grandparents and Aunt all sorts of toys and clothes- they are so spoiled and loved.

Al got a PoinGo. We didn't realize that you needed to pre-download the stories on the pen so a week after Christmas he still hasn't got to play with his Santa toy, but he doesn't need it. He was given all sorts of awesome toys that he is in heaven playing. He is spoiled and loved too.

December 2nd week

I love taking pics of my three babies wrapped up in towels and all nice and clean.

We hosted a play date, borrowed the Sizzex from my MIL and pressed aluminum foil and folded it over  thin cardboard cut outs of Christmas like things and then made them into ornaments.

 I liked them shinny and uncolored best.

Our mountains look lovely this time of year.

It snowed on our mountains. It snowed on us too. Al had fun playing in it (running around) but that was it, no sticking.

Meeting Santa

Santa rode in on a helicopter and all the children stood in amazement. That was the plan and that was what we were told happened, but we were running late out the door (Saturday mornings are harsh for us to get out the door). By the time we got there Santa had landed and a line to meet him was forming. Luckily our children didn't know the difference and was thrilled to death to just see and then get to sit inside the helicopter. (they were the hospital ones). We had hot cocoa while we waited in line to meet Santa and Mrs Clause. And while waiting we also met a little girl who was born the exact same day as our twins, but at the local hospital. Granted our girls are older they were born at 1am and this little's grandma said it was after 9am.

Al was so thrilled to meet Santa that he didn't say a word. He was just thrilled to be there. The girls handled Santa fine, they didn't cry, although they did give him some funny looks like they didn't know what to think of him. But I think the fact that Al was obviously excited to be there told the girls this wasn't suppose to be a scary person.

That evening we went to the Christmas light parade. Great day, very tired children.

Thanksgiving Weekend

We spent Thanksgiving week and weekend up at my parents in Mesa.

We had a great time.

My brother has a new girlfriend. She is sweet and a really good sport.

All the cousins got to play.

Grandpa works from home and find time to play with all the grandbabies.

desserts were great. MMMMM oreo tuxedo cheesecake

Uncle Ted still thrills my children by playing the piano with them.

We had a great time.
Happy Thanksgiving

Christmas Songs for Singing Time

I so thought I had blogged about these already I made them back in 2008.
I am the sub for Singing Time on Sunday since Thanksgiving weekend our chorister is going to still be out of town. She said to pick a Christmas song and teach it to the children.
She appologized that she didn't have any of the visuals I had made because when our ward was split all that stuff had to go to the other ward. So she has nothing. I thought hey I made them once I'll make them again. So I got on my blog to look them up so I could have something to look at and I couldn't find them. I had to go through our old photos from our old hard drive to find them.

First:

I made a Nativity scene from construction paper and then had it laminated. To give you an idea of size 

Joseph is about 9 inches tall. The brown part of him is all one piece, just cut and drawn on.

I used it for "Once within a Lowly Stable", "Shepherd's Carol" and the Nativity Song.
I pointed with a stick at the character in that part of the song.

I used it for "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem". I had a path that lead to it on the chalkboard and a "workbench" on the far side of the path.

I also used it by putting stickies on it, had the pieces on the table, children picked a piece and then we placed it on the board created our Nativity picture as we sang different carols.

Next:

Joy to the World

"Joy to the world"

"The Lord has come" ---use picture from library of the 2nd coming, nativity would work too

"Let Earth receive her King"

"Let every heart Prepare him room"

"And Saints and Angels Sing...."

all just made out of construction paper and markers.

Third:
Far Far Away

Each verse was a page. Not too thrilled with my pages, a little too busy. If I was to do it again I'd probably do 1 verse to 2 pages, with less words written on the pages.

We then did the chorus in Sign Language.

Here is the link to my youtube video of the chorus

I love teaching Christmas songs to the children.
If you're looking for something really different. You'd need to get permision from your Primary President, but last year my mom and I wrote a Christmas Children Song called 

Counting Christmas

click above and you can download the song.

These are the words:

ONE little baby sleeps on the hay in a manger far away.

TWO earthly parents watch Him sleep as their night long vigil they keep.

THREE wise men follow the light of a star shining bright

Bringing gold and frankincense and myrrh as they travel through the night.

FOUR shepherds hear the angels sing above, and they go to witness God's Love.

FIVE lowly animals make not a sound as the shepherds gather around.

I wrote it with the idea in mind of singing it with children and counting the 5 on their hands.

Have fun singing Christmas Songs!

Halloween Night

A few months ago I had this epic idea... dress our children up as water for Halloween. We have twin girls and a 3 yr old son, two H's and one O H2O. Brilliant right? Somehow I thought it might be a little too crazy but mentioned it to him anyway. He LOVED the idea and we made it happen. And hey why not do it while our children are too young to argue yet about what they want to be.

Our son's oxygen costume was a red t-shirt with an iron on of Oxygen from the Periodic table. I made him some pj pants out of red cotton material from my fabric stash. For the girls I had white onesies that I iron oned the Hydrogen from the Periodic table, white tights we already owned and I made them white tutus out of tulle (just to give it a fun costume effect). As for my husband and I we wore my old lab coat from college (my husband borrowed one from a doctor friend), and we made ourselves look crazy. My husband made his own steampunkish goggles to complete the outfit. Overall all for of our outfits and the candy was under $20. Yes we do awesome Halloween for about $20.  As a disclosure I didn't count the iron on paper because I already owned it from a previous project and the paper has been gathering dust in my house. 

Happy Halloween

July 4th celebration

Happy Independence Day.

Every year our ward has a 4th of July Pancake Breakfast.

(We bring our own sugar free syrup to use)

We were there early. My husband's calling is now with the 11 year old scouts. They had the color guard duty.

They did a great job. All in uniform and they were trying so hard.

The whole time our darling girls were passed around being held by everyone.

Our son got a snow cone (in a cup) orange-ish flavored, he was thrilled with it. Who doesn't want a snow cone (in a cup) for breakfast. 

Our girls were so cute. Nellie has the navy headband on and Rose has a red one. We didn't buy these outfits for the holiday. We were just looking for something patriotic colored for them to ware, and I remembered that we had these outfits in the 12 months clothes box (they are only wearing 9 months right now). But it wasn't too big on us.

At the end of the morning our girls needed a nap. Aren't they just the cutest.

I made my "Guilt Free chocolate chip cookies" to take to our friends for dinner. Traditionally I make homemade ice cream. I look forward to this every year. I made us register on our wedding registry an awesome ice cream maker. This year I used...

the Kitchen aid ice cream maker attachment that runs about $100 new and I found it at a yard sale for $20. When my husband learned I bought another ice cream maker he wasn't happy I spent the money, but I told him I was going to buy it eventually (I love kitchen aid attachments). I could spend $100 or the $20. I made plain vanilla this year. Normally I try to get fancy but I decided to try to stay simple this year. Although it was NOT a calorie friendly ice cream. Yummy but not calorie lite.

We went up to town, sat in our car with it drizzling around us, watching the AWESOME firework show the city puts on.

After all our children were in bed I watched clips from 1776.

This is a tradition I miss. Growing up we'd watch the fireworks, and then come home and watch our horribly ghetto-taped-off-the-TV VHS version of this movie. I love the music and the singing and dancing and the acting, oh and the funny lines. I own a DVD of it but we recently re-did our room's furniture around and I can't our DVD. So to try to keep with tradition and get my 1776 musical fix, I watched clips of the movie and play versions on youtube.

Happy Independence Day. Thank-you to all those today and in history who has made it possible for us to have ideas, dreams, and freedoms to worship, work, and relax as we each see fit. I am so grateful to live in the Country and have such blessings.

Easter Egg Hunt

Al and my niece were much more into looking for eggs.

We had way more eggs than we needed to have. With only three children total there was more than a dozen eggs per child.

 My nephew acted like it was a race to see who could get the most eggs.

 The girls didn't really look for eggs. Grandma took one twin.

 while Uncle took the other.

 Al ended up with a WHOLE basket full of eggs and candy

 - which was all gone by the afternoon.

 After the hunt we all sat down, ate boiled eggs, and candy. 

It was perfect weather and a nice day.