Dinosaurs

I went to help in Fuzzy's class the last week of school make these awesome styrofoam dinosaurs.  The kids had to be paleontologists and figure out how to put the dino together after collecting all the bones.

The finished T-Rex

Me and my cute Fuzzy

Fuzzy with her dinosaur.

Sally

Maren and Chad got this cute little puppy that my kids adore!  I can't remember what kind she is but she is dang cute!  The kids totally wore her out this day and she went inside and crashed.

Alli throwing the ball to Grandma.  BTW, when Alli has a ball or is standing on the stairs, always be prepared to catch!

Cute Sally... I wonder if she is hiding in the jungle from my kids?

Bowling with the Clawsons

e met up with Liz and Cecil in Payson and went bowling!  What fun.  See the giant bag of M&Ms on the table?  They were almost gone when we were done!

All the kids wanted to help Alli bowl.  I love these push the ball down the ramp things!  The ball gets there so much faster this way!

Nice shot Chance!

Alli and Cecil.  She just can't get enough of him.  It is a good thing he is such a good sport!

Then all the bigger kids, decided to make the bowling helper into a slide.  Good thing no one else was really there.

Fathers and Sons Outing

Corry Posting:  Scotty and I went to the Father's and Sons outing.  We went up Hobble Creek Canyon and had a great time running around, throwing rocks in the stream, playing night games, eating pizza (yeah, we did it the easy way), getting dirty, etc.  It was very cloudy but didn't ever rain while we were there, though we found out it had poured just an hour before we got there.  We stayed up pretty late and got up when nature called early in the morning.  We had high priest pancakes and Scotty learned the wisdom of not being first in line when that happens.  Then we made water bottle rockets, played football, and messed around for a while.  We had a great time together, just the two boys in the woods with the bears with all the other guys in the ward.  The aftermath of the weekend is spelled out pretty clearly in the picture below.  I love you buddy.  Thanks for going with me.  Dad.

Missy Graduates!

Missy Graduated from 6th Grade this Year!  

Yikes, the junior high years begin!  I am so please with the person Missy is becoming.  She is an excellent student and tested into a gifted and talented program for Jr. High next year.  She has a great love of reading and is often found with her nose in a book, but she has seemed to find a nice balance of being smart and not just living through books.  She has a great love of living her life and finding her own adventures too, not just reading about them.  Way to go Missy!  You will do wonderful things throughout your life.  This is a new beginning!

Missy and her diploma

Missy with her grandparents

Missy with us - we love you!

Missy with her amazing teacher - Mrs. Allen

Missy and her great friend McKenzie

Family Night

I still have so much to catch up on on here, but I had to do this post anyway.  2 Sundays ago our Bishop asked all the adults to teach in their homes the Plan of Happiness.  He talked to us about how everything else falls into this and that this is vital for our children to know and learn.  He promised great blessings if we would do this in our homes.

For those who don't know, here is a brief synopsis of the Plan: (for more information, go to mormon.org)

1) We lived with God before this life as His Spirit sons and daughters.  We were loved by Him and we chose to come to the earth and accepted our Savior, Jesus Christ.

2) We came to earth to get a mortal body and to be tested and tried.  God knew we would make mistakes, so he sent His son, Jesus Christ, to Atone for those sins so that we could be forgiven.  If we prove faithful, then

3) We can live with God again and become like Him.

Last Monday night, we got on another topic and didn't discuss the plan.  Last night, Corry didn't get home until 7:30 PM, the kids and I were still cleaning the house and dinner wasn't made yet.  Corry and I had a few things to discuss (a post for another day) and then we started cooking dinner.  By the time we had cooked and eaten our dinner, it was 9 PM, a little late for Family night, but we started anyway.

Corry talked about the first part of this plan and as usual, the questions started (my kids are so much more intelligent than I was!).  As the older two have grown up, the questions often asked are, how do we know this? and what about the other churches that think they are right?  We then got into a discussion about feeling the Spirit.  What does it feel like?  warm feeling, burning, whisper... How do you feel? peace, calm, truth... What do you do with those feelings?  remember them and draw on them when you need them.

Corry told them a story about when he was a boy and in much pain.  He prayed to Heavenly Father and received relief from the pain he was in.  He talked about how that was an anchor to his testimony his whole life.  It was a constant reminder that his Father knew him and loved him.  At this point, the spirit in our home was so strong testifying of the truthfulness of his words.  We all felt it.  We pointed out to the kids what they were feeling and asked them to remember those feelings.  We then sang the first verse of "A Child's Prayer" - which we could barely get through.

Heavenly Father, are you really there and do you hear and answer every child's prayer?  Some say that Heaven is far away, but I feel it close around me as I pray.  Heavenly Father, I remember know something that Jesus taught disciples long ago, "Suffer the children, to come to me."  Father in prayer I'm coming now to thee.  

It was a beautiful night and one of the best family nights we have ever had.  No flannel board stories or cutesy anything, just a father teaching his children about the gospel.

Scotty's Kindergarten Graduation

Scotty is the funniest kid!  He is constantly cracking us up at home, but get him in a performance setting and he shuts down.  At his Kindergarten graduation, the kids performed a few songs. You would have thought it was the worst thing to make him do by the look on his face.  Get him in his classroom just doing it with his friends and he is one of the most animated kids.  He still did great though and we are so proud of him.  He made it through  Kindergarten on the Honor Roll every trimester.  Way to go Scotty!  We love you!

Last Soccer Game!

I finally had a camera at Scotty's last soccer game, and boy was I glad!  He scored a goal!  Way to go Scotty!  We had so  much fun watching this season.  The kids had all improved so much over the season!

Thanks Coach Matt for being a great coach and for having so much fun with the kids!

Fuzzy - Double digits!

Fuzzy Turns 10

Officially and Old Lady!  Never to be a single digit number again!

Corry was gone for Fuzzy's b-day with the Young Men, so we had our traditional breakfast of choice and opening presents.  (I am beginning to think that this is not such a great tradition on school days or Sunday's with 9 o'clock church!)

Fuzzy received a few clothing items from mom and dad and then the big gift was... (keep reading)

Fuzzy is my always willing to help child.  She loves to serve others (especially babies).  She is also a thinker.  She asks the most bizarre and insightful questions.  She also has a way of getting us all to start laughing.  

I love you Fuzzy!

That afternoon, she had a party at the park playing games, eating and laughing

All the girls on the slide...poor McKena at the bottom!

We had a cupcake frosting contest

Fuzzy... walking like an Egyptian?

The next night we had Grandpa over for Fuzzy's dinner.  She requested, Corry cooking, yeah me!  Then she had picked out Cookie Dough Ice Cream to eat (none of my kids are very big cake eaters).  We had so much of Missy's ice cream cake left over, we ate that since it had cookie dough ice cream in it.

If you look closely at the sparkle on Fuzzy's ear, you will see what she got for her birthday.  Pierced ears and a date with dad.  They went to IHOP for lunch and then to see Monsters vs Aliens.

Then Fuzzy gave Grandpa one of her signature back massages on the stairs.  I think it hurts, but Corry and Grandpa LOVE it!

Then, the kids had to dress up Grandpa.  You are a good sport!

Fuzzy's Favorites

Color - Blue

Dinner - Anything with noodles

Lunch - Bagel Bites

Dessert - Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Treat - Rice Crispy Treats

Breakfast - Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Restaurant - Olive Garden

Candy bar - Twix

Book - anything by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Best Friends - Kennadie, Hannah, Lizzie, Hazel, and everyone!

Movie - "Inkheart"

TV show - "Sonny With a Chance"

Primary song - "Search, Ponder and Pray"

Scripture story - Esther because she is brave and she is a girl

Song - "Viva La Vida" by ColdPlay

Activities - biking, swimming, tennis, reading, dancing, playing with friends, playing games, picnics, climbing rocks, climbing trees, playing piano, singing