Manna From Heaven!

I suppose I should start a regular feature on my blog of my adventures with the Sunbeams!

But here is one that I've actually had a request about.  The 2nd time I taught I had a well-prepared lesson with stories, songs, activities, a walk--I was so proud of myself.  I was just about finished and all we had left was to color a picture to take home.  I looked at my watch. 

There was still 30 minutes left!!!!

This is not like teaching Relief Society where you know you will never have enough time for all you have prepared.  The sisters don't run into the Relief Society room after Sunday School.   We have a full 50 minutes of class time! 

I realized I needed to take more time and draw things out and repeat things.  It's taking me a few weeks to made some adjustments, and I think I was more successful this last Sunday.  Here is something they really enjoyed.  It was my attempt to tell a story from the lesson and take a lot of time with a small snack.  (Might work well as an FHE lesson for little ones)   The story was about the Children of Israel receiving manna from heaven.  After I told the story, I asked them to each pretend they were asleep in a tent.  I placed 5 fishy crackers across the room.   Then I said: Wake up and look out of your tent!  Then they each ran to get a cracker and eat it.  Then I sent them back to their seats.  And I told them to pretend again that they were asleep.  Well, you get the idea.  They loved running to get a cracker 5 times (the operative word here being "time"--this took a lot of time!)   We also did some out-loud counting.  On the 6th time I put out 10 crackers and they were told to get one and eat it but take another one back to their tent and not eat it. 

Then on "day" 7, they pretended to be asleep, woke up and looked and there were no crackers. 

So they got to eat the one they had brought back with them.   It was a lot of fun! 

 My teaching partner brought a camera this week and took this picture of our class.

 (The two girls with the wide wastebands on their dresses are twins.)

Good Idea!

Read in this book every day!

Can't Eat Just One!

It's time to reveal another one of my secret addictions! 

It's been very bad this Spring.  I have really had trouble controlling myself.

  Here is some of my bad behavior connected with this addiction:

1) Never stop at eating just one

2) Do it behind Dan's back

3) Save the best ones for myself

4) When I do eat them in public, gobble them up quickly

5) Have even taken some away from my granddaughter:

"That one is too big for you, Hannah."

6) Start eating them before I even get in the house

What is the source of this horrible addictive behavior?  What do I eat in large amounts that would even amaze my own mother?  What is causing me to lose control?  Chocolate? Chips?  Chocolate chips?

The fresh peas in my garden!!

I just picked this bowlful, but it won't last long!

And to think it all started last fall when I planted some seeds.  I ignored and neglected them all winter.  And then in March the fun began!   And I've been sneaking out there as often as possible to feed my addiction!

Add A Little Creativity!

I didn't realize until I was well into college what a fun and creative family I came from!  By adding a little creativity we were able to make good events so much more fun!  And the fun and creativity has continued.  Recently I found this "Anniversary Quiz" Becky made up for her family. They were living in New Jersey. They passed it out after dinner on their 17th anniversary. Take a look and then read Becky's letter to me explaining it all.  Now this is how to use a little creativity to take something to a whole new level!

"Finally after all the chatter died down, Mike said that one of these really was going to happen.  They exploded with excitement at the thought of one of them happening.  So we told them that they were to each make one guess at which one they thought and the one that guesses right could have dessert.  They all turned in their papers.  I can't even begin to explain the excitement at this point.  I carefully looked them all over--and said, I couldn't believe this--someone guessed the right one!  Then Mike looked them over, we really dragged this out and he agreed that one had guessed right.  The were dying to know who had chosen correctly.  Mike gave them all back and said: Actually, you all guessed right!  They compared their papers and all had chosen something different, so they didn't understand what he meant.  Finally, he said ALL of these items are going to occur this year!  At this point, the noise and excitement was so high it nearly took the roof off.  I'm surprised you didn't hear us in CA.  All of the questions and excitement centered on moving.  It hadn't occurred to anyone that I was pregnant--until about 10 minutes later--Molly's eyes bugged out and she blurted out: Mom's pregnant!!!  And the roof came off again!!  It was definitely our most memorable anniversary, most noisy and most fun.  So next time you move, have a baby and anniversary, I recommend this plan!  Love, Becky"

Go from Good to Better to Best with a little  CREATVITY!

Good Idea!

I'm starting a new feature on my blog called:

It will appear every Monday.  I hear lots of good ideas all the time and thought it would be fun to share them.  So here is the first installment--this time you get TWO good ideas!!

#1  When Josh and Andrea visited recently I participated in their family scripture study.  After they finish reading, they all sing the Primary song for the month. (This month it is "The Church of Jesus Christ.")  For those with Primary age children this is a great way for them to learn and review a song they will be singing in the Program.  It helped them end their scripture reading on an uplifiting note!!

#2 Since we are studying the Old Testmant in Gospel Doctrine this year, I have found it helpful to use this manual along with my reading.  It has so many wonderful helps and insights. This manual and others can be found online at:

http://institute.lds.org/courses/

Carmel-By-the-Sea!

What a lovely name for a town!

(Sorry about this again, but I need to post some photos of our short getaway to Carmel.  I don't want to forget it as you never know when you will need some positive memories to keep you going!)

I enjoyed the clouds on the way there and the way back.  We've been having so many wonderful cloud displays lately.

We stayed at the La Playa Hotel--a historic hotel full of so much charm it was oozing.    Built in 1905 by a husband as a mansion for his bride, the daughter of the Ghirardelli chocolate family.  Here is the entrance:

A view of the back:

and the back entrance:

A view to the room we were in:

Two views out our window.  Yup, that's the ocean just two blocks away:

And I loved the flowers!

A quick walk and there was the beautiful beach:

I had fun watching the surfers:

Thanks for letting me record my memory!

More Highlights!

Some of the other things we did were play with Zhu Zhu pets.

Chalk drawings on the patio.  This is Zelda.

Played the game, Squint.

Went to the "Castle Park."

Played Koob and played with Nerf guns.

And played Phase 10 Twist on two different days.

Katie enjoyed this mosaic game.

Here are some of the paintings that were done.

And Sophie was happy through it all!

They left on Saturday at 7:30 a.m., had lunch in Elko and were home in time for dinner!

Come back soon!

Fairy Tale Town Once Again!

We spent a fun morning at Fairy Tale Town!

All seven grandkids in the next two photos! (David was sleeping in his stroller)

The "cheesy" photos:

We had a picnic in the park afterwards and everyone had fun playing after lunch!

A Morning at the Park!

We joined MaryAnn's family for a fun morning at two parks in Rancho Cordova.  This one was very popular with the large rock to climb!

There were lots of other fun things to do as well...

...including a fun frisbee game.

Here is Sophie on the table.  Her family likes to say that she is "the center of the universe!"

My collages of 6 Flags would not enlarge very much so here are a few closeups from that day too: