Young Women Recognition

 Kayla earned her Young Women Personal Progress Award last night.  She spoke about her projects and blew away the crowd.  She was repeatedly told she needs to be a public speaker.  She worked hard to get this award.  She had to do six ten hour projects.  She made pink scarves for women with breast cancer (see the pink scarf project on the sidebar).  She also learned to sew and take care of clothing.  She participated in choir and a school play...and many more.

 

She earned her medallion along with Emily and Michelle.  They all worked hard, congratulations ladies, you have made your families proud!

Senior Countdown: Last Court of Honor

We've made it to the May of senior year.  Now it's the beginning of the lasts...

Wednesday marked the last Court of Honor.  Dakota earned enough merit badges for a full set of Eagle Palms.  Due to a paperwork misfile, he will only receive two, but he knows that he earned enough for three.

 Dakota received his gold palm.  The requirements are 3 months tenure after receiving eagle scout and 5 more merit badges.

 Kyle has been working as the Scoutmaster for our troop for about 6 years.  Before that he was Assistant Scoutmaster for about 8 years with a bit of cub scouts sprinkled in there too.  He was released as scoutmaster earlier this year and called as Executive Secretary of our church.  He was surprised by an award this evening.

 He really is a big marshmallow.  He was a bit choked up to receive this award that was a surprise.  He has a great love for the youth and it sure was nice having him work so closely with our son.  After all the serious business at court of honor the boys put on some skits for the audience.

The priest quorum teased the assistant scout master about his slow driving.  One boy says to the other: How happy are the scouts in Troop 555.  The other says: I don't know how happy.  Happier than Derek in a never ending school zone.

Kota was the driver in this skit.  Silly boys.  We are proud of you Dakota.  Now, keep the ward tradition of every Eagle Scout serving a mission!

Prom 2013 Through Tides and Time

It's that time again.  Whoo what a day.  Clean the house, do the hair, wash the laundry, paint some nails, paint some trim on the house....

 Kayla is my thrifty girl.  Her and her girlfriends did each others hair.  You know they did the styles that the other girls paid $50 for. 

 Kayla had her dress brought up a little extra so you could see her shoes.

 Kayla went with her friend Adam.

 Dakota took his friend Alyssa.

 Grand march was cute.  I loved the anchor.

They all look great.  Alyssa's shoes were already hurting her feet...poor thing.  Hope she dances barefoot.  Kayla wore hers around the house that last week or so to break them in.  Smart girl!

Smell of Weekends

My favorite part about the weekend is: breakfast.  Warm and fresh out of the oven with aromas that fill the entire house.  Kids asking what smells good?  The hustle of getting to work and school on time is removed; and the June Clever is able to fulfill the role she really enjoys, but doesn't have a lot of time for.

This year many things have changed.  Including sports at Hillsdale.  Because levies have been failing the school district was forced to go to pay-to-play sports.  Each sport costing the family $300 to play in addition to the clothes and footwear.  With this, Kota decided that he was not going to run track this year. 

Our weekends have opened up to whatever we want to do.  Interesting the contrast to the last 5 years of school.  Waking to get kids to the school before the bus leaves.  Following them all over the region to watch in cold, rain, sleet.  Giving entire days to be spectators and fitting all the home chores into the mix.

I'm enjoying this change.  I'm savoring every peaceful moment we have with our youth as they are preparing to leave for phase two of their young lives.  It has been fun watching the fruits of our labor blossom into young adults and remember what it was like for me to be in there shoes.

It will be fun and interesting to watch them as they make choices for their futures.  I pray that they have learned from us to use Heavenly Father's guidance in these choices so there will be less growing pains.  But if not, they will learn their lessons as we have ours-the hard way.

Here's to nice quiet weekend mornings with family.  It doesn't  get any better than this.

Carousel Magic

We have had Minnesota visitors for a couple of weeks now.  Klayton and Trisha brought down their daughter Kenzie and have been staying with us.

 We decided that we need to do something fun today and decided to go to the Carousel in Mansfield.

Rides are inexpensive 12 tickets for $10.  This carousel is in a garage-type building and all of the horses are locally carved.  The animals are beautiful decorated and the music just makes you want to smile.  It was fun to see the little children enjoying themselves here today.

 Kenize enjoyed her first ride on the carousel.  She is nothing but smiles and is a very happy baby.

 I'm not sure who'd win this battle of stubborn hard-headedness?  Hmmm...it could be a toss up.

  I enjoyed watching my kids have fun too.  Every time they came around they would strike a pose for us.

 After the Carousel we tried a diner down the street.

 It was a total 50s dinner with soda fountain and everything.  So much fun!

Ymmm.  This is a must do again place to eat.

Spring Break Week

 I went with our friends the Tompot's to a thrift store in North Olmstead.  They have designer suits for very reasonable prices.  I got Kota two suits for his mission for $20.  Colton found a suit of his own.  Three teenage boys in a thrift shop is funny.  I laughed all morning!

 Friday we went with Robin and Toby to East Harbor State Park on Lake Erie.  It was supposed to be 50 degrees.  It felt like 20 degrees with the lake winds.  BRRR.  We didn't stay long.  We did do a lot of visiting though.

Spring break was kind of weird this year.  Kayla had the week before Kota and I had off.  It was really disappointing.  We had to take her out of school on Friday so that we could have one day with family in from out of town. 

 The Thursday and Friday before Easter we had our niece and nephews over.  We took them for a frigid play at the park.  We also colored brown eggs.  You know they turned out really nice.  I actually preferred the earthy tones we got.  Beautiful!

 We went to my mom's for the annual egg hunt.  It was fun to visit with Cyndi and her kids.  I spent time with my brother and sister it was fun catching up.  Although we live close together we don't spend much time together.

It's hard to get these two to be serious, but here they are in their new Easter outfits.  Funny how Kota's tie matched Kayla's dress.  He told us tonight he has 61 days until he moves to Minnesota for the summer and first semester of college.

61 days...it's going to go fast.  (sigh)

Spring break, contained a lot of miscellaneous things.  Mostly time with family which was much needed. 

March More Like Him Update

 

I have made it a personal goal to be more like the Savior.  To do and act more like he would in situations.  To do things differently than I have in the past.  This has been very shaping in my personality.

I learned that I do service a lot more than I give myself credit for.  I have found patience in places I am normally not patient in.  I have picked up things that I have forgotten to do well. 

I am seeing the Lord more and more in my life.  I feel the Spirit acting more and didn't realize how much He was missing.  Not for the doing of wrong things, but for doing so many things that I forgot to listen.

I am reminded of this scripture:

John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

I think I am more at peace and in that peace I see things differently.  I am finding a growth in what I already know to be true spiritually.  My family is rebonding after a tough late fall and winter with a learning teenager.  We laugh and love together, just like when the kids were little.  Prayers are being answered to life little things.  Like the Tompot's hiring Kota until he leaves in just a couple months, which will decrease a financial burden. 

The understanding that my new visiting teaching list is for growth in me and not in my comfort zone, but if I go forward with help from the Lord all will be well. 

Overall, March has been peaceful.