Award assemlies

With the end of the school year fast approaching comes the music concert art shows and award assemblies. It so fun to see all the accomplishments the kids make through the year. Both Samuel and Eliza are very talented artists. Samuel took on a new medium this year, stained glass. He picked a very hard piece to try for his first attempt . He did an amazing job

 He also is very talented at pencil drawings. Mrs Hardy wants him to use there pieces for a profolio

 

 

Eliza won several art awards for her art. This is the same art competitions Samuel won last year and now Eliza won it. I think we set a president.

 

 

 

These are other drawing Eliza placed with

 

Eliza also got several awards at the academic award assembly.

 

 

Eliza got a Physical science award,art award,English  academic excellence award, Mathematics award, and of course Honor roll all four quarters. Eliza is also number one in her class. The awards were giving out by each individual teacher who picked a student that excelled in their class had leadership and worked hard. I am so proud of both Samuel and Eliza for how well they do in school, but even more them that the kind of people they are.

 

 

This is Eliza before the award assembly. Samuel was at work so I wasn't able to get a photo of him. He is such a hard working kid.

 

Girl Scouts silver award

Eliza got her letter from the Girls scouts silver award committee today and she has been approved for the award. I am so proud of her. For her project her and some girls in her troop planted flowers in the park and in huge planters at the city pool, and they sanded and repainted playground equipment at the park. ( no easy task I might add ) They did a great job and worked hard. I'm glad that she is learning the joy of service. Way to go Miss Eliza!

Growing up and moving on

Next year when school starts I will no longer have any children in elementary school. Samuel graduated from Jr high and will be going into high school , and Eliza will be making the big jump to Jr high. We saw Ed, Our children's bus driver at Samuel's graduation and realized he will no longer be stopping in front of our home anymore. We will really miss him. The Jr high and High school is practically in our back yard so the kids walk ( yes they are in the same building) We thanked him of all he has done for our kids and prepared ourselves for a new chapter in our lives. I love and Cherish the memories we have made as the children have grown. I also love watching them grow and develop their gifts and potential. Congratulation Samuel and Eliza! You make me so proud, and feel so blessed to be your mother!

Eliza and her Friends after her last band concert in elementary school.

Samuel Riding his new bike he got for graduating from Jr high.

Eliza's elementary school band concert.

Samuel at Jr High graduation.

Eliza's hair cut

My little Eliza is growing up. Her Daddy took her to get her hair cut. It looks so cute on her but I can't believe how grown up it makes her look.






When we were taking photos of Eliza's hair Trigger decided he wanted his photo taken too since he is growing up also..





If you are taking a photo of Trigger you have to take a photo of Eliza's bike because Trigger loves going for a run along side Eliza as she rides it.

Valentines heart attack

OK , I know I am a little slow in getting this posted but I have finely got around to it.. (smile). We woke up valentines day to a heart attack. For you that might not know what that is , it is when there are hearts everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Eliza started out with decorating our armorer in the bedroom, then there were hearts on every step going down the stairs, they were on the stair posts ,cupboards, walls, microwave, piano, and even on the washer and dryer, and toilet. It was so cute and sweet! Talk about making the family feel loved. Eliza is such my sweet heart.

That evening when I returned from work I had another wonderful surprise. Mike had the table set with china, candles burning , and music playing in the background. He made a wonderful dinner for the family, and bought me the most beautiful tulips. ( I love tulips) What a great Valentin's day. What a great family!

Eliza's Spelling Bee

Eliza is the best Speller.( She certainly didn't get that gift from me.) I am so proud of her. This is her second time of being in the school wide spelling bee.

Mike and I got her some flowers and balloons to help celebrate her accomplishment.

The School gave her a balloon with a cute little bee on it.

She did really good but I think her nerves got the best of her in the end. Even though she didn't win I am so proud of how far she made it!

New Beginnings

It was such a great night. Beautiful young Lady's and their parents filled the the room with such a great spirit. I couldn't help but swell with pride as I glanced over at Eliza passing out the crowns and scrolls she had made for each girl. I am amazed that at only 12 years of age she was able to plan , organize and put together such a great evening. Eliza was in charge of our churches New beginnings program for the Young women. Katie did the food and Sam did the decorations. Eliza came up with the idea that we are princess. She asked the girls to dress like princess. She made the invitations, addressed them ,and passed them out. Next she asked each of the girls to pick a "Value" from the personal progress program and give a 2 min talk about it. Eliza loves the song "Daughter of a king and so she had the girls sing it in the program. The girls did a wonderful job. And to think Eliza put it all together. I am so amazed by her!

The poem inside the scrolls

Eliza has the best rewards for reading. For the kids who met their AR goal a few months ago, the school took them to the movie theater in Keokuk to watch ,Where the wild things are. Just today Eliza's teacher drove the kids to McDonald's and bought them lunch for making their reading goal. They will also get to ride the bus to Burlington latter this year to see the Burlington Bees play a baseball game. The school make reading so fun for the kids.What I really like about it is that the school takes them during school so all the kids who met their goal can go together. Lucky girl!

Where is Christmas?

The Christmas decorations are still safely tucked away in there containers. No twinkling lights adorn the outside of the house ,and the Grinch who has welcomed in Christmas for 14 years is still tucked away in the attic. Where is Christmas this year? It seems to have been forgotten somehow and I don't know why. It is not like me not to have every inch of the home full of twinkling, sparkling, glistening, adornment. I am constantly cooking and fussing for the holidays , trying to fill every moment with memories. I more often then not have to work Christmas eve and Christmas day so every second that I have home is a treasured Jewel of time. Why am I not me this year? I have baked cookies and put up only a few of my favorite decorations like my nutcrackers that the kids painted and the Christmas socks. But this is far from my usually preparations.We haven't had the usually excitement as we plan for Christmas gifts we will be giving others. I so miss the excitement and warmth of the season. I need Christ in Christmas more then ever this year because it feels so empty. As I was driving home from work Christmas song were playing on the radio. Words of hope and love floated through my car but for some reason did not penetrated my heart. Where is Christmas? I have let to much time slip through my fingers this Christmas.I have gone to long without letting the feelings of Christ penatrate my heart. Tomarrow I have off work and one way or another I am going to find Christmas and make this the best Christmas ever.

Eliza got to do baptisms

Eliza got to go to the Nauvoo temple and do baptisms for the dead with the young women and men. It was her first time. We are bleased to have the temple so close. It has been a part of Eliza's life since she was little, and now for her to get to go do baptisms is just wonderful. Eliza was just a toddler when the temple was rebuilt so she really doesn't remember not having the temple. She doesn't remember the groundbreaking when President Hinckley invited the kids up to dig in the dirt. (It was so sweet.) She doesn't remember the cornerstone being dedicated, she doesn't remember The 6 weeks of open house when Nauvoo was full to the brim with visitors. She was only a preschooler when the primary planted the tree on the corner of the temple grounds. But guess what she remembers?
The angel Moroni being place on the top of the temple.

Those things are all fun to remember but when she went and did baptisms for the dead she was able to do something that effected eternity. In the dedicatory prayer President Hinckley said,"May all who are baptized in behalf of those beyond the veil of death know that they are doing something necessary under Thine eternal plan." God Loves all his children and gives all of them an opportunity to learn of him and accept or denie ordnances. If They have not had an opportunity on this earth they will have an opportunity in the spirit world.

The baptistery is always located on the bottom floor of the temple.Participants are baptized by immersion to symbolize being buried and resurrected with Jesus.The font sits on the back of twelve oxen which represent the twelve tribes of Israel.The baptistery is a replica of the "brasen sea sitting on twelve oxen" in the Temple of Solomon, as described in the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah.The temple baptistery is used to perform baptisms by proxy for deceased relatives.
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" 1 Corinthians 15:29

I am so grateful for the opportunity Eliza had to participate in the wonderful ordnance of baptism for the dead.

*The first baptisms for the dead in the original uncompleted Nauvoo Temple were performed in November 1841 And the first time Eliza got to do baptisms was Nov 18.

*The original baptismal font, supported by 12 carved limestone oxen, was duplicated as nearly as possible with the addition of a metal lining to prevent deterioration.

David ( in the white jacket) infront of the font linner.

I love the Nauvoo temple. I am grateful for the work that is done in it, and I am grateful that Eliza was able to be a part of it.

ok I will have to admit it, I'm a soccer mom

You can feel the cool crispness of fall in the air. The smell of burning leaves confirm the season. There is so much this time of year offers and I love everything about it. Now I have one more thing to put on my fall loving list. Soccer. Yes soccer. No I don't play it. I watch it. Eliza finally talked her reluctant parents into letting her play soccer. Although she is now in 6Th grade it is her first year of playing. She has caught on really fast and is quite good. She loves it and we love that she loves it. So even though I have never watched soccer before and don't know any of the rules, I have had fun watching her have fun. Now only if she would let me bedazzle her shin guards all would be perfect.