Activity Days

For Activity Days this month, we went to the park for a picnic. Drinks (Kool-Aid) and dessert (cookies) were provided. We took our meal to the park. After we were done eating, the girls played at the park for a while. The girls had fun using the sidewalk chalk and the playground. I thought I had some pictures of the girls using the sidewalk chalk but there aren't any. Sorry.

Party Day

Tons of fun. If you haven't hosted a House Party, I think you should it. This one was sponsered by Oscar Meyer hot dogs. I loved them. I don't remember ever buying them before the price is more than fair for the hot dogs; some of the best I've ever tasted. We played games with the frisbees and soft balls and then sent them home with the guests. I made cupcakes to look like grills with hot dogs on them . I think they turned out so cute.

Thrill of the Grill Hot Dog House Party

We will be hosting a Thrill of the Grill Hot Dog House Party in less than 2 weeks. I thought it would be great for my daughter because she loves hot dogs. This is my first house party and I am super excited. We recieved our party pack today. The party pack included FREE OSCAR MAYER Hot Dog Coupons for Host and Guests, OSCAR MAYER Tongs, 1 set of OSCAR MAYER Oven Mitts, 8 OSCAR MAYER Soft Baseballs, 8 OSCAR MAYER Frisbees, 16 OSCAR MAYER Wiener Whistles, 16 Heinz ketchup coupons, OSCAR MAYER Plates and Napkins.

My son is a frisbee nut so he is most excited about those, although the whistles have peaked his interest. I was thinking frisbee golf would be a fun game to play. Going to try to put a hot dog twist on it

My youngest daughter (the one who loves hot dogs) is just excited to have hot dogs.

I have a couple more ideas for games and will let you know if they work. Unfortunately sometiems I have high expectations that seems to come crashing around me and still people seem to have fun (or maybe they are faking it)

I am going to make "grill" cupcakes for the guests. You frost the cupcakes with black frosting, top that with orange sugar "coals", pipe black lines for a grill and top them with Hot Tamales candies with "grill lines" painted on with a toothpick dipped in black food color. It looks like little hot dogs on a grill. So cute.

I was thinking I would use the coupons for the hot dogs and then give away a package of hot dogs along with the coupons for Heinz ketchup coupons as a parting gift.

I'm so excited. I can hardly wait.

Doughnut Balls

Doughnut Balls
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups
vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup powdered sugar
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, eggs, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well blended. (The batter will be soft.) Heat oil in a deep skillet until oil is hot enough to fry a 1-inch cube of bread in 1 minute. Carefully place dough by tablespoonfuls into the oil. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. When all doughnuts are cooked, pour powdered sugar into a plastic or paper bag. Add a few doughnuts at a time, close bag, and shake gently until well coated. Serve warm. Makes 25. (Lion House International Recipes, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997], p. 114.)

Family Home Evening Armor of God

Advanced Prep: For each person get small paperdolls from a scrapbook store or here. We made the dolls to resemble family members. Make your own helmet, shoes, loin cloth, shield, breastplate and sword to fit your paperdoll. Color, if neccessary, and laminate. Make sure you have a die for the game.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:13-17 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery dart of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" or

D& C 27:15-18 "Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand. Stand, therefore, having your lions girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angles to commit unto you; Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my work which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up that where I am ye shall be also. Amen."

Song: Seek the Lord Early, (Children's Songbook, page 108)

Poem/Thought: “Examine your armor. Is there an unguarded or unprotected place? Determine now to add whatever part is missing. … Through the great principle of repentance you can turn your life about and begin now clothing yourself with the armor of God through study, prayer, and a determination to serve God and keep his commandments.” President N. Eldon Tanner (1898–1982), First Counselor in the First Presidency, “‘Put on the Whole Armor of God,’” Ensign, May 1979, 46.

Lesson: So what is the Armor of God and how can it protect us?

Girt up your loins about with truth -(Ephesians 6:14; D&C 27:16). Loins mean the area between the hips and abdomen. Girt means tied around firmly with a belt. Generally, to “gird your loins” means to prepare for action. We prepare ourselves to take action in the battle against evil by learning the truth through prayer and scripture study

Breastplate of righteousness-” (Ephesians 6:14; D&C 27:16). Why do you think the Lord called it the breastplate of righteousness? A breastplate protects vital organs such as the heart and lungs. We need to have righteousness in our hearts. We need to want to do right with all our hearts. We can keep this in our hearts and be able to withstand peer pressure, have the strength to leave if we find ourselves somewhere we should not be or if we are tempted to do things we shouldn't. Our righteousness, both in thought and deed, protects the core of our spiritual lives.

Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace-(Ephesians 6:15; D&C 27:16). Shod means wearing shoes. “Your feet … represent your goals or objectives in life. … Preparedness is the way to victory, and ‘eternal vigilance is the price of safety.’ … The tide of victory rests with him who is prepared” (President Harold B. Lee [1899–1973], “Message from the First Presidency,” Ensign, Jan. 1971, 2). How can we be prepared? We can study the scriptures, pray to our Father in Heaven, living the teaching of the gospel , going to church to learn of him, (these are some we came up with but you may come up with others) What are we preparing for? The return of Jesus Christ, eternal life with God.

Shield of faith-(Ephesians 6:16; D&C 27:17). A shield is the most versatile and effective means of defense in battle. Our faith, if it is built upon Christ and His gospel, can defend us against the adversary’s numerous onslaughts, just as a shield, if it is made of the right material, will withstand volleys of fiery darts. Why is Satan's weapons compared to a dart rather than a large tank or cannon. A dart makes a small hole in the dartboard and holds on. Satan doesn't start with the big stuff; he starts with the little stuff. Little lies, "just this once". Little things can lead to big things.

“In the Church we can teach about the materials from which a shield of faith is made: reverence, courage, chastity, repentance, forgiveness, compassion. In church we can learn how to assemble and fit them together. But the actual making of and fitting on of the shield of faith belongs in the family circle. Otherwise it may loosen and come off in a crisis.” President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Shield of Faith,” Ensign, May 1995, 8.

Helmet of salvation-(Ephesians 6:17; D&C 27:18). A helmet of salvation shall guide our thinking through all our days. Focusing our minds on Christ and His salvation will protect us from unworthy thoughts, keep our “eye single to the glory of God” (D&C 4:5), and guide us in our decisions. How would remembering Christ more regularly help us resist the influence the devil tries to have over us?

Sword of my spirit-(Ephesians 6:17; see D&C 27:18) How is the sword different from the other pieces of armor listed? It is a weapon rather than just protection. A sword is a weapon used to strike at the enemy. The word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). With our testimony and the power and peace of God’s Spirit, we can strike against and conquer the enemy of all righteousness.

I gave them bookmarks that I printed from here. I thought these were great as they point out everything and what it means. Hopefully, the visual will help them remember.

Activity: The object of the game is to be the first to "put on the whole armor of God" on your figure. Each person got a boy or girl figure. There were 6 piles of armor. The first player rolls the die. If he gets a 1 he can get a helmet and roll again and try to get a 2 then 3, etc. until all pieces of armor have been collected in order. If he does not roll the number he needs, die goes to the next player. Each player must receive each piece of armor in the order given. Key: 1-helmet, 2-breastplate, 3-lions, 4-legs and feet, 5-shield, 6-sword Closing Prayer:

Refreshments: Doughnut Balls

Eternal Families

In the very beginning the Lord taught Adam and Eve the importance of the family. The scriptures record, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24.)
In the temple, we perform sacred ordinances. One such ordinance is celestial (or eternal) marriage, where wife is sealed to husband and husband sealed to wife for eternity. When most people are married, they are married “til death do you part”. but eternal marriages performed in the temple may exist forever. Children born to a husband and wife after an eternal marriage are automatically sealed to their parents for eternity. If children are born before the wife is sealed to her husband, there is a temple sealing ordinance that can seal these children to their parents for eternity, and so it is that children can be sealed vicariously to parents who have passed away.
About a month to six weeks before a temple is dedicated, the temple is opened up for anyone and everyone to come see it. After it is dedicated, it is held so sacred, a nature that purity of life and strict adherence to standards of the Church become qualifications for admittance.
Gordon B. Hinckley, was a prophet and president of my church. He explained it well when he related what happened to him as a couple exited the open house of the Wahsington D.C. temple. "On that occasion thousands of curious but earnest people stood in long lines to gain entry to the building. A policeman stationed to direct traffic observed that it was the first time he had ever seen the English eager to get into a church.
Those who inspected the building were asked to defer any questions until they had completed the tour. In the evenings I joined the missionaries in talking with those who had questions. As a young couple came down the front steps of the temple, I inquired whether I could help them in any way. The young woman spoke up and said, “Yes. What about this ‘marriage for eternity’ to which reference was made in one of the rooms?” We sat on a bench under the ancient oak that stood near the gate. The wedding band on her finger indicated that they were married, and the manner in which she gripped her husband’s hand evidenced their affection one for another.
“Now to your question,” I said. “I suppose you were married by the vicar.”
“Yes,” she responded, “just three months ago.”
“Did you realize that when the vicar pronounced your marriage he also decreed your separation?”
“What do you mean?” she quickly retorted.
“You believe that life is eternal, don’t you?”
“Of course,” she replied.
I continued, “Can you conceive of eternal life without eternal love? Can either of you envision eternal happiness without the companionship of one another?”
“Of course not,” came the ready response.
“But what did the vicar say when he pronounced your marriage? If I remember the language correctly, he said, among other things, ‘in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, till death do ye part.’ He went as far as he felt his authority would permit him and that was till death separates you. In fact, I think that if you were to question him, he would emphatically deny the existence of marriage and family beyond the grave.
“But,” I continued, “the Father of us all, who loves His children and wants the best for them, has provided for a continuation, under proper circumstances, of this most sacred and ennobling of all human relationships, the relationships of marriage and family.
“In that great and moving conversation between the Savior and His Apostles, Peter declared, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ and the Lord responded, ‘Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.’ The Lord then went on to say to Peter and his associates, ‘And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven’ (see Matt. 16:13–19).
“In that marvelous bestowal of authority, the Lord gave to His Apostles the keys of the holy priesthood, whose power reaches beyond life and death into eternity. This same authority has been restored to the earth by those same Apostles who held it anciently, even Peter, James, and John.” I continued by saying that following the dedication of the temple on the following Sunday, those same keys of the holy priesthood would be exercised in behalf of the men and women who come into this sacred house to solemnize their marriage. They will be joined in a union which death cannot dissolve and time cannot destroy.
Such was my testimony to this young couple in England. Such it is to you today and such it is to all the world. Our Father in Heaven, who loves His children, desires for them that which will bring them happiness now and in the eternities to come, and there is no greater happiness than is found in the most meaningful of all human relationships—the companionships of husband and wife, parents and children."
I believe that if I live my life using Jesus as my example and follow him, I can live with my husband as husband and wife after we die. Our children will be our children forever. I was married and sealed to my best friend 16 years ago. I am glad I was married in the temple I am glad to know that my family can continue as as family for eternity and not just "til death to ye part".

Sealing A Family Forever

On Saturday, May 22, 2010 my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and their two children were sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity. After twenty years of marriage they were able to be sealed. Its wonderful knowing that the family bonds will continue after death if we will be obedient to God's commandments. It was beautiful and the first time I've ever seen a family sealed together.

Lagoon 2010

We had the opportunity to go to Lagoon on Friday, May 29, 2010. I wasn't sure if it would be more or less busy becuase of Memorial Day Weekend. The only bad thing (besides the outrageous price) was that it was COLD! We had planned on staying longer but becuase the children were cold, we cut it short and went home early. One of these days, I'm going to actually ride the Wicked. No one else wanted to go with me and then it starting getting cold and the children were ready to go. Before the sun starting setting and we all starting freezing, it was fun. I'm really happy that I had all the family together (including DH) and that the children enjoyed themselves.

Wax Museum

As a project in school, everyone researched a historical figure, made a poster about the person and then had to dress up as that person and pretend to be a wax figure. My son wrote about Wild Bill Hickock. One thing we couldn't find was why he was referred to as "Wild Bill" His real name was James Butler Hickock. He traveled with Annie Oakley in a traveling "Wild West Show". The man who killed him, Jack McCall, claimed he was avenging his brother. McCall had only sisters.