DARE Essay

Lindsay won the DARE essay contest this year, and was asked to share her essay at their DARE graduation.

Lindsay wrote an award winning essay, hence she got to read it at her school's DARE graduation ceremony.  On the day of graduation, the kids were also able to hear from the current Miss South Jordan as well as a former Miss Utah  The girls all loved trying on her very large crown, while the boys loved exploring the DARE corvette and turning on all the lights and sirens.  They all like signing each other's DARE shirts. This program is a big part of 5th grade and almost like a rite of passage to the kids. WE sure appreciate Officer Campbell,  our school's resource officer, and the positive relationship he has with the kids at the school.  He is well loved and provides a great service to our school.  Congrats on a job well done Miss Lindz!

President Monson Letter

A few month ago, Emily's Primary class wrote letters to President Monson, the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They recently received responses written by his secretary.  Em was thrilled!

Here's a little but of the letter.  With over 13 million members of the church worldwide, how special this was for their class to receive a response.  It will be something she can always treasure.

Eternal Perspective

Aubrey has tons of pictures of local temples on her phone. She tries to take one each time she goes, which is usually once a week. This was a recent favorite.

The past few weeks we have been doing family names for one of our friends, Jodi. This means that we go to the basement of the temple and are baptized for some of Jodi's ancestors that lived in Denmark back in the mid-1800's. One morning, Aubrey and Kayla were able to be baptized for a pair of sisters, and the following week I was baptized for those sisters Mom. When Robert is with us, like this week, he is able to baptize us for and in behalf of these particular people. Then another priesthood holder is able to baptize him in behalf of other men that need their work done. What an amazing concept to be able to stand as a proxy and provide saving ordinances for someone who did not have that knowledge or chance when they were here on Earth. God is a very just and merciful God and provides a way for each and everyone of His children to return back to His presence. Though the saving ordinance work is done for every person who has lived, it is completely up to them to accept or reject the work that is done by proxy for them. Free agency is key in the Lord's kingdom.

Though I don't know what Aubrey will end up doing with all of these photographs of the temples, I can already see the imprint that the spirit of the temple has permanently etched in her heart.

Puzzling

Our friends gave us this puzzle for Christmas and we've been wanting to put it together.  It was quite a bit harder than we thought it would be.See all that red around the lettering, that was the hard part.  The girls loved seeing their faces in puzzle pieces.  What a fun gift!

Cheer Time

Cheer season is going fairly well.  Aubrey has had some hip problems, which we are still not sure the full extent of, but she is not willing to take a break at this point, so continue on she does.  I love this picture of the Level 5 team with their tumbling coach Frankie.  The girls tumbled with him when they were at Mac's, and it was a  miracle (tender mercy) that we ended up with him again at Fusion.  Though he pushes them very hard to excel and improve, he is it still more interested in who they are as individuals and what they need that day, than simply what they can produce on the gym floor.  

Level 4 team, Aubs in front center, after their first victory over tough competition, namely Mac's - the gym that Frankie and the girls were previously at.  It was a REALLY big win and we are proud of them.  

Pete the Parrot

This weekend Emily brought home her class pet, Pete the Parrot.  I can not tell you how glad I am that he is stuffed and not real.  I am not a big fan of real class pets, atleast the ones that somehow find their way to your house for a weekend visit.  Pete is great....quiet, no messes, and Emily LOVES him.

The highlight of the weekend was dressing him up in American Girl clothes.  This was my favorite outfit.  Pete the Ballerina.

Right down to the shoes.

Not sure what this outfit is?

Pete the acrobat gymnast.  All weekend Emily wrote down Pete's adventures and she can't wait to share them with her class on Monday.

DI Delight

Tonight we had a work party for the Coaching Dept.  It was a 'Crazy Comedy' theme and all outfits were to be purchased from DI.  I was surprised by all the comments I got on my 'Vintage Gunny Sac Dress'.  Many women in attendance were convinced they had once owned that exact dress and had worn it to their junior high graduations.  I wish we had a closer up view of Robert's outfit.  The buttons and pocket area were adorned with bone type material and there was a large horseshoe across the back of the shirt.  Our outfits weren't nearly as outlandish as many others, but we did the best we could.

JA Biz Town

As a 5th grader, you get to participate in Junior Achievements Business Town, aka Biz Town.  It is a simulation of a small city run entirely by 5th graders.  The city replica, which is housed above the Children's Museum Downtown,  includes 2 banks, a TV station and newspaper agency, Best Buy for office supplies, RC Willey for furniture needs, a school district, Alphagraphics for employee ID's and copies, Health Care Services, Qwest, Questar, a construction company and City Hall.

Lindsay was chosen as the CFO at Alphagraphics.  She had a great office with a view of downtown, not bad.  The day is divided into 5 sections, 3 work sessions separated by 2 break sessions on a rotating basis.  Not only do you have to run your business successfully by meeting your costumers needs as well as paying off the initial business loan taken out at the beginning of the day, but during your 'break sessions' you needs to take care of your personal needs, such as eating, paying your bills and shopping for daily necessities.   Adults are there to advise and supervise, but we are not to perform any of the kids jobs or help too much in balancing their checkbooks.  It is such a hoot to see all these 10-years olds running around in suits and dresses trying to perform all these tasks.  It's a hoot, and I love it.

I was assigned to supervise in one of the banks.  We had a CEO, CFO, Manager, and 2 tellers, with 1 -2 students out on break per sessions.  The students spent several weeks in class preparing for this simulation, but there is just nothing like the 'real thing.'  You quickly learn who can deal with pressure and fast pace processing, and those they may be suited for a different profession.  Just like any business, there are certain things that only the CEO or CFO can do, and all checks that go out need both of their signatures.  CFO's within each business also had to print paychecks for each their employees that they need before their breaks so they could deposit them and do their shopping.  All students also had to make at least 1 deposit into their savings acct.  On top of that, some businesses took only cash, others only checks, and others only debit cards.  So you had some kids who had enough money in their accounts, but not on the right form.  With all that said, the bank was a very hoppin' place.  Our bank employees worked very hard, but by the end of the day our CFO had so much paperwork piled up all over his desk, and so many things to input into the computer that he was about done.  Welcome to the 'real world'  5th graders.

This really is such a great program.  I'm glad that now 3 of our girls have been able to go through it.  This 'Work Based Learning Program' in our school district is done in 3rd, 5th and 9th grade, with 5th grade being the only off-site experience.  It is so good for the kids to get a taste of work life and managing their own money and this program does a really good job of that!  Good job Lindz!

Emi the Reporter

Emi also had her 'Work Based Learning Program'.  She was a reporter bringing in $300.00 a month.  The focus is to visit 12  'tables'  where services/needs are provided, purchase from each of them, and still have money left over in your wallet when you are done.  That's the focus, but Em was pretty pumped about the whole news reporter thing too.The 3rd grade program is entirely cash based, so there were no checkbooks or debit cards to lose, just cash.

Here is a record of Emi's purchases for the month.
Savings Account - $60.
Animal Shelter - $5 for a parrot
Clothing - $11 regular clothes vs. designer
Fun - $2 bought a Wii game
Chance - $40 for a vacation  You can either make or spend money here
Groceries - $15 no eating out
Medical - $12 had to buy crutches for a broken ankle
Personal Care - $3 for a haircut
Housing -$60   3 bedroom house with 2 roommates
Furniture - $3  used for gas to borrow furniture from a friend
Transportation - $5  good old reliable bike
Charitable Contribution - $2

She was left with $82.00, pretty good for my spender

At this event I worked at the 'Furniture Table'.  Most students went with the furniture from DI for $9.  Emily had another 'real life experience' by losing her wallet full of cash.  Luckily she found it on the ground and was back in business.  There's some real life learning for you.

New Year Creeds

On this fabulous New Year's Day, or actually Observance of New Years Day, January 2nd, we headed to Ensign Peak to resolve and release our creeds, or words to live by, for 2012.

These girls wanted to dress up like Barbie (as in the doll they never had) and her best friend Carrie, not knowing that we would be eating out in public following our hike.  They are such funny girls.

A little about why we chose this particular place.  Ensign Peak is a prominent hill on the northern edge of the Salt Lake Valley. On July 26, 1847, two days after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young and seven other pioneer leaders climbed the hill to survey the valley. From its summit they laid out in their minds the city they intended to build.

The men fastened a yellow bandanna to a cane and waved it from the mountain peak, as an ensign to all nations, and Brigham Young named the spot Ensign Peak. The pioneers had carried two American flags with them across the plains, and within a short time, one of those flags was flown from the peak.

Brigham Young claimed a vision from God directed him to lead his people into the Salt Lake Valley. It is said that Young recognized Ensign Peak as a prominent landmark in his vision, confirming his statement: "This is the right place."  

 Then, just a  few years ago, Sister Elaine Dalton and her counselors, who head the Young Women's program for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, again hiked Ensign Peak and unfurled a banner which was made from a walking stick and gold Peruvian Shawl.  It stood as an ensign, a standard to all nations, of a 'Return to Virtue',  Though we as a family were not present for either of these experiences, they have had a profound influences on our lives and the way in which we live.  This is why we chose to release our balloons inscribed with our 'Resolves for 2012' here on this sacred hill.

I don't know that the kids want me to share their resolves, I'll leave that up to them, but mine is to "Live what I Believe".

And there they go...

Welcome 2012!