More Conference Websites To Try!

First one is this one:

http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/2011/03/few-conference-ideas-are-on-way.html

The next one is this one:

http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2011/03/general-conference-treat-buckets.html

Thanks Nicole for telling us about them!

Conference Week!

So it is conference week again! For those of you who aren't LDS, it is a weekend where all our leaders get together with us and teach us and guide us to do what we need to be doing. It also is a time to fill your cup (spirit). More information can be found at http://www.lds.org/

Anyway it is time to plan ahead and get everything copied and ready for conference. I love sugardoodle and she has teamed up with another lady and they make great packets. I like them because they are big enough to last for all four sessions of conference. My kids LOVE them. I actually saved them, because they were so cute. Here is the link for that:

http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7399

Now I have a few ideas that we do, these might make Conference fun and more make lots of memories for your family. Here they are:

1. To say it again: Have packets and make them early in the week with their names on them.

2. Sunday Treats! Always have special treats for each child. I do M&M's or Skittles and place them in baggies for each child. They get one bag per Sunday conference session.

3. Saturday Morning Session: We listen to conference as we up date our 72 hour kits. Each kid and parent has a backpack filled with 72 hour supplies. I rotate them every 6 months. I take out the food and then I let the kids eat all the food, candy, and gum, during the Saturday sessions of conference. I also make a list of what we took out (I do this earlier in the week so I can buy replacements for each kit). Then I have each kid update their backpack with new food, we check the clothes and make sure they fit, replace batteries, etc. Then I know everything is fresh and current.

4. Saturday Night Priesthood Session is a fun time for all. Instead of it being about the men and older boys, it is about the whole family. After dinner and sending the men to their meeting, the rest of us go to Grandma's house. Sometimes the kids play games, or play outside, sometimes we all goof off together, or we just visit. We hang out for those two hours and then have a Banana Split party as soon as the men are back. Some families just have the men have ice cream together after conference. I like my family's way better. I like doing it this way, because even my girls get to celebrate the priesthood. As they grow up and look for companions, they will know what to look for in a man, because they have seen great examples when they were young.

5. Sunday Morning Session for us is a big Sourdough Pancake Breakfast with all the extended family. My Mom sets up lots of tables and we all eat a yummy breakfast. Then we watch conference together until the first session is over, and then we go home to our own houses to watch the last session with just our little family.

6. Another thing I do is put a picture of the prophet up on our magnet board for the whole week. It is a silent reminder of what is coming and helps everyone get excited to hear what the prophet wants to tell us.

7. Reviewing who the prophet and the 12 apostles are is important. You can do this in a FHE lesson or you could put their pictures up one at a time for 15 days with something about them and their name. Also you can teach your kids the Apostle Song found here: www.mormonvidz.com/video/572/New-LDS-Apostle-Song-with-all-12-and-first-presidency you would be surprised at how fast they can pick it up.

8. I found this idea this year and I am going to do it. I found it here: http://creativeholidaygiftideas.blogspot.com/2008/09/kids-general-conference-baskets.html

Anyway that is what we do for Conference. Feel free to share your ideas.

Christmas Ideas!

My neighbor asked me to post this, but I realized I had already done this. So I thought I would recap a little and then tell you to go look under labels under Christmas for more ideas and you can see what I wrote about this.



Anyway I am a cub scout leader and for one of our Christmas activities, we made green and red paper chains. at the top was a big star with the words, "I am trying to be like Jesus". On the inside of each chain was something that they could do, to make them like Jesus and more focused on him during the Christmas season. Examples you can find in the past posting.



After we got them completed, I read the book I believe in Santa Claus, by Diane G. Adamson. It is first all about Santa. Ex. he comes at night, he wears red, he loves little children etc. Then it switches and talks about Jesus Ex. he comes at night, he wore red, he loves little children etc. After reading the book I talked to them about how it can be confusing when at school you only talk about Christmas and Santa coming, but at Church you only talk about the birth of Christ. But I said that this book helps us realize that Santa is trying to be just like Jesus and he is a symbol of Christmas. When we think of Santa, we can think of Jesus, just like when we see a Christmas light we can be reminded of the star that came the night Jesus was born.

Then I took the chain and said that the outside is a countdown until Santa comes, but the inside is a countdown until Jesus was born. By doing nice things for others and trying to be like Jesus, we can honor Jesus and give him a gift that he would love by serving others.

Anyway I had this little boy (I forgot to tell his Mom this part), that openly scoffed when I said we were going to read a book called, I believe in Santa Claus. He didn't say anything, but his face told me, that he was not a believer. He also thought making chains was something a preschooler would do. But after I read the book, his little chain seemed much more important, and his face said a different story, than before I read the book.

He went home and has been so excited about Trying to be like Jesus everyday. His Mom called me to tell me, what a great idea it was, and how much he looks forward to doing it everyday. I usually get no comments, and it was really nice to hear how much she like it. She asked me to post it, so now I have. Merry Christmas!

Teaching Children About Giving Money To Charity!

I have been thinking lately a lot about Charity. It seems like people are more and more selfish with their time, money, skills, and love. Everything seems to be more and more about ME and what I can get for Me. It makes you so down, until you notice the kind people, who are quietly going about doing good for others. Take time to notice these people, watch them, learn from them, and then become them. That is what I want for my family. My parents are these kind people. They always were helping others in one way or the other. But if we weren't paying attention, we would have never known. They quietly did things, and made a difference in many people's lives. My Mom has been sick this year, but she still finds time to make a difference- especially to my little family. My Dad had Charity in him, until the day he died of Cancer 7 years ago. He was an amazing man. I never saw him be lazy, and I totally took for granted all the things he did for me, my family, my neighbors, my church, my community, etc. The last thing I remember that was on his mind before he died, was my mother, who just found out she had Cancer for the third time. So anyway, I figure if I can always be like them, I will turn out to be a pretty good person, and if my kids learn it from me, they will be pretty good people, and it will just keep going. So now I am going to talk about how we teach our children to give...... Money.

Yesterday I spent some time walking around my neighborhood with the Wolf Scouts. They are so cute and are little 8 year olds. We were doing Pennies By The Inch. I tried the whole time to get it through their heads that because we were collecting money, it would go to kids that needed help at our local hospital. Midway I asked one of the boys, do you feel good about all the money you are collecting? He replied, "Not Really". Which I think they all felt good, but for show he needed to be cooler than that.

I wished that I had known in advance (which I should because they do this every year) that it was going on this week. I would have had my kids at home earn some money, so they could donate and feel good about it.

In our local church (stake) meeting a couple of years ago, a man talked about the need for kids to earn money. So they could learn to budget, save, etc. He also mentioned the need to let them give their money to charity. It really made me think. I had always been taught that time and service were just as important as money. But after listening to this man, I realized that if they don't learn how to give with money as well, when they are adults they won't do it.

My cute daughter last year wanted to help with a sub for Santa. She got out 50 dollars to give. This also was an important lesson I needed to teach my daughter. Give what you can afford to lose. As much as I thought it was an amazing gift, I knew that 10 dollars was more appropriate for her age, and that she needs her money for her future, when she goes to college. We talked about it, and I helped her realize that someday, she could give more, but at age 11, this was very very generous.

This year one of our extended families is doing a Sub for Santa. We are pooling the money we would have spent, and then one family is going to buy everything the family in need needs, and take it to them. So I got the idea of paying my kids in coins to do random jobs around the house, and they could earn money to help this family. So far so good. Everyone is really excited to get our jar full. Everyone has a great attitude, when they know the job is going to have money for the jar. I think it will help us to stay grounded and happy this season.

I encourage you to find ways to teach your children as well the value of money and giving it to others when you can. And if you can't, there is always next year. And who knows, you might be the receiver this year and that is sometimes hard as well to accept. But you can teach your children about generous people and how they gave to you.

Don't get me wrong, I still realize that Charity of Time, Love, and Service is important as well, but this post is not about that.

Easter Cookies

It is a tradition that we do these every year. It is a great object lesson for young or old children, and even adults!

You will need:

1c. whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

a pinch salt

1c. sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him. Read John 19:1-3.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66.
10. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Church Website!

So I just found out about this, even though it was changed about 2 months ago. I found out about it through the church news. I thought that others might also not know. The LDS Church Website has changed for the better. They have updated the Friend and New Era parts. For the friend they now have: coloring (while listening to church music), Slide Shows, Listen to Stories, Little Friends Stuff, Games, Scripture Stories, and much more. Try it out it is really cute! Or better yet let your kids try it out!

The easiest way to get to it, is to go to www.lds.org then on the right side click on prepare a talk, Then hit the friend!

A New Blog Site!

So I am LDS (If you want more info on this religion go to: www.lds.org) and one thing we believe in is having a day (Monday Night) devoted to being with family, teaching our kids about our religion and about the values we want them to learn, spending quality time together, AND we love to play games and have fun. So this new website helps with that. My cousin started it and I asked her permission if I could post it on this blog.

http://vallefhe.blogspot.com

Check it out, I am sure you will like it. Also I put this in the FHE/Church Section

Having A Party?

So I am helping plan a big party for my church and I was looking for games and stumbled on this website. It has games for Baby showers, bridal showers, Holidays, Ice Breakers, Kid games, college games, adult games, Relay games, and travel games.

http://www.free-party-games.com/

Church Coloring Pages

O.K. I found a really cute site that has really cute coloring pages of the bible stories. I thought you might want to check them out and add them to your files.

http://www.sundayschoolprintables.com/

This link is also listed on the side under FHE stuff