Caroline's primary talk

Caroline, age 5

Recently Caroline gave a talk in Primary. She showed some pictures of Jesus' life and told how she can be like him by being kind to others, helping others, forgiving others, etc. Then she read her sweet testimony....

Primary Idol

Our primary recently had a terrific quarterly activity...Primary Idol. They had the American Idol theme music playing as they introduced Aaron "Seacrest" our host and all of the amazing primary children who were there to share a talent in front of their friends and family. First, Sis. H. told the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25. She invited the children to share there talents... we heard original piano composition, a mini harp, a trumpet, dog info, knock-knock jokes, and we saw tree climbing (1 handed!), artwork, gymnastics, hopscotch, etc. We have some great budding talent! Here's what our 3 primary kids shared....

Mommy Notes & The Friend online

Wesley made it through the sacrament today!  Progress!  He loves the hymn book and shares his booming singing/hollering voice freely.  Dear Wesley did have an omelet for breakfast, and some oatmeal just before church, but when he saw the sacrament bread he let out a gasp of excitement and showed the same enthusiasm for the water....enough to make me blush and "Shhh!!!"  I love my babe.

In sharing time, Thomas recognized a story that was told about President Monson's life, not from the Friend magazine the teacher was reading from, but from the movie about Pres. Monson's life that they showed between General Conference sessions in October.  Sometimes they really ARE listening, and things really ARE sinking in.

When I thanked Thomas for being ready for church early today and noted how that made the morning more peaceful, he smiled, agreed, and said, "You're welcome."....a little positive reinforcement to encourage a pattern of behavior (Please!).

We are nearing the end of the Book of Mormon, and the kids want to read and read and read.  Granted tonight wasn't without the, "Hey, I was sitting there!" or "It's my turn to read!", but even with the minor interruptions, we had great conversation about Ether 3, 4, 5 (& part of 6).  Grace read chapter 5, which she prefaced by saying, "I feel like singing this chapter."  I didn't have a problem with that as long as it wasn't ridiculous, so we listened to Grace's song of Ether 5...unforgettable.  We marveled at the 344 day voyage across the ocean, and that the people were thankful throughout the journey.  I imagine it was stinky & I hope I would have been so humble, (even among the bees).

My MIL recently pointed out that the Friend magazine now has an online interactive page.  I put this link on my toolbar, so the kids can play there when they are ready for church.  Today is the first Sunday in I don't know how long that church prep at our house ran smoothly.  Christina got on The Friend's online site and put together a bunch of coloring pages, word searches, etc.  for Grace and Caroline to do after the sacrament.  Caroline and Thomas played on the website for a while  and  we were 15 minutes early to church.  We're on to something, I hope!  There's always tweaking and issues that come up, but I'm quick to note the miracle in a smooth sailing Sunday, esp. when Wayne was gone from just before 10am to 8pm.  Wayne had an exceptionally full Sunday, but we're proud of the way he serves & and is leading the YM.  XOxoxoxoxoxo! 

Christmas Kindness & a few mommy notes

I set up my favorite nativity today, or gave it a new home I should say.  This is the nativity that my mom made over easily more than a years' time.  It's a treasure.  I remember seeing her working on it many a night when I went in to say good-night.  She loved it.  I get to love it now.  I would really like to find an appropriate setting for it though.  My mom displayed it in a basket with pieces of pine, but I don't have a basket the right size.  This IKEA tin bin will do for this year, but I'm still on the look out for something "just right."

My friend taught junior sharing time in primary last Sunday and sent a bag of straw home with Caroline.  Attached to the bag of straw was the note I place in front of my nativity.....

A Bed for The Baby Jesus

Each time this month as you do or say something kind, take a piece of straw and add it to the bed for Baby Jesus.  See how full and comfortable you can make his bed by December 24th.

The girls were excited to see the straw set up and know which baby Jesus (of our several nativities) they'd be making comfortable.  Note: The girls have added a couple of straw blades...the light fake straw at the base of the nativity was already there.

More on the home front....

• Kids continue to rearrange the ornaments on the tree.  Ornaments found hanging from garland are a dead give away.
  
• I realized I didn't get the '07 ornaments done last year.  They were small oval frames (I think I found them on clearance at Exposures AFTER Christmas...some years are like that:)).   I checked that off my list today.
  
• As Thomas whipped together a Thanksgiving graph that was due last Wednesday and Christina finished research for a report due in 2 weeks, I was reminded how different our children are.  One's strength may be the others' weakness.  As their mother, their unique needs keep me humble.  I love them each individually more than I can say.  
• We may look like adults, but to Wesley, if we lay down we are much like a jungle gym.  Tonight I was laying down on my back by the Christmas tree and Wesley ran over, climbed on me, and counted, "Uh, Oo....EEEE!" as he jumped off to the carpet below.  I looked away and he grabbed my face, looked me in the eye and babbled, probably something to the effect of, "You missed my jump, mom!  Watch this time!"  I love this age.  I love this boy!

I dropped by Trader Joe's today and bought myself a treat...Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's.  I'll share with Wayne, but that's it.  (Thanks, Robisons for getting me hooked:))  Shay, I think we should get a free box for advertising!

Merry Christmas! 

Sharing Time lesson: Service

For sharing time last Sunday we introduced a Primary "Giving Tree."  This Giving Tree is a follow-up to our lesson where we had the children write an act of service they did or draw a picture of a service they did as a birthday gift for President Monson (we saw that idea on Sugardoodle- thanks!).  To encourage our primary children to be service-minded all through the holiday season, and hopefully beyond, we came up with The Giving Tree.  The tree was simply painted on 2 large pieces of butcher paper taped together so that it's nice and wide as well as tall (from floor to ceiling).  The star is cut from cardstock.  I taped a garland to the tree and taped ornaments along the garland that read "Our Giving Tree."  This project is incredibly fast and easy if you use a 2" circle punch found in the scrapbook section at Michael's to make the ornaments!  I used scrapbook paper to punch LOTS of circles for the primary children to use for ornaments.  Before introducing the tree to the children, I began a lesson on service by sharing the following stories from President Monson's life....

• "The compassion and sensitivity developed in President Monson's boyhood continued to be a major part of his life when he was called to be a bishop at age 22. Bishop Monson's 67th Ward had more than 1,000 members, including 85 widows.Every Christmas the young bishop took a week of his personal vacation time to visit and bring a gift to each of the widows in his ward. He continued to visit these sisters at Christmas for the next 47 years until the last widow passed away in 1998." -"Called to Serve," New Era, May 2008, pp.2-5.
• Twenty-three-year-old Tom Monson, relatively new bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward in the Temple View Stake, was uncharacteristically restless as the stake priesthood leadership meeting progressed. He had the distinct impression that he should leave the meeting immediately and drive to the Veterans' Hospital high up on the Avenues of Salt Lake City. Before leaving home that night he had received a telephone call informing him that an older member of his ward was ill and had been admitted to the hospital for care. Could the bishop, the caller wondered, find a moment to go by the hospital sometime and give a blessing? The busy young leader explained that he was just on his way to a stake meeting but that he certainly would be pleased to go by the hospital as soon as the meeting was concluded.  Now the prompting was stronger than ever: "Leave the meeting and proceed to the hospital at once." But the stake president himself was speaking at the pulpit! It would be most discourteous to stand in the middle of the presiding officer's message, make one's way over an entire row of brethren, and then exit the building altogether. Painfully he waited out the final moments of the stake president's message, then bolted for the door even before the benediction had been pronounced.  Running the full length of the corridor on the fourth floor of the hospital, the young bishop saw a flurry of activity outside the designated room. A nurse stopped him and said, "Are you Bishop Monson?" "Yes," was the anxious reply. "I'm sorry," she said. "The patient was calling your name just before he passed away."  Fighting back the tears, Thomas S. Monson turned and walked back into the night. He vowed then and there that he would never again fail to act upon a prompting from the Lord. He would acknowledge the impressions of the Spirit when they came, and he would follow wherever they led him, ever to be "on the Lord's errand."  You cannot understand President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, without understanding the repetition of such promptings in his life and the absolute loyalty with which he has kept that early promise to obey them. Indeed, his life seems something of a sacred manuscript upon which the Holy Ghost has written—and is still writing—one remarkable spiritual message after another." -Jeffrey R. Holland, "Pres. Thomas S. Monson: Man of Action, Man of Faith, Always 'on the Lord's Errand," Ensign, Feb. 1986, pg. 10.

Bear testimony of the principle of service after perhaps sharing an service-related experience of your own.  You can also intermix appropriate primary songs with the examples of "being on the Lord's errand" mentioned in the lesson.

I then introduced the Giving Tree.  The Giving Tree will be in our Primary room throughout December.  I provided ornaments for the children and they wrote recent acts of service they did (one per ornament), and then taped the ornament somewhere on the Giving Tree.  Some kids signed their ornaments and others are anonymous.  I told the children that every Sunday when they come to Primary they can write on more ornaments and add them to our tree.  By the end of the month we'll see how full and beautiful our Giving Tree looks!  If they hadn't written their note/drawn their picture of service to give to President Monson, they did that during this sharing time too.  

PS...If your primary hasn't done the letters to President Monson for his birthday yet, you can find what that is all about HERE and do this as a family.  Merry Christmas!

Scripture Markers

We're keeping things super simple this Christmas.  {HOME}made is a running theme around here.  I've found some simple, inexpensive ideas that I'll be sharing on our blog.  I hope that even if your penny pinching, you'll find some worthwhile projects here that are budget friendly.  I'd love to hear about what you have in the works too!

Christina's awesome Beehive advisor gave these scripture markers out to the girls one Sunday...probably with a lesson on scriptures.  I traced the inner part of the marker and came up with my version of a pattern to share.  After picking Christina's teacher's brain, these are the directions I came up with....

1.  Use patterned paper for the inner portion of the marker

2. Do a test run of the pattern at the bottom of the post.  If it doesn't print out just right, following the dimensions below, map out the inner part of the markers on your pattern paper.  If your test run works out then print the pattern directly onto your paper. (Christina's teacher printed a scripture reference directly onto the patterned paper, but this can be an added embellishment)

3. Cut out each rectangle marker.  Leave the rectangles and circles inside each marker in tact.

4.  Glue each marker onto card stock & embellish if desired.

5. Cut out each marker again.  Christina's card stock goes about 1/2" beyond the patterned paper all the way around the marker.

6. Laminate each marker.

7. Cut each scripture marker out.

8. Using an X-Acto knive, carefully cut out the 2 black rectangular shapes.  The large one is for marking large verses of scripture, and the smaller one is obviously for marking a single line of scripture.  Use a hole punch to punch out the circles.  These are for marking the scripture reference/verse #.

9. After cards are all cut, if there is any separation in the laminating, run the card(s) through the laminator one more time to seal them nicely.

I love these homemade scripture markers.  I thought they'd make great stocking stuffers, gifts for primary teachers or students, or as with Christina's class...lesson handouts, for Relief Society too!

 In case the pattern doesn't download correctly (I'm working on it),

the inner scripture marker dimensions are:

Inner marker (to be glued to card stock): width: 2 1/2", length: 5 3/16"

large rectangle: width 2", height: 1 1/8"

small rectangle: width: 2", height: 1/4"

FINISHED MARKER: width: 3", height: 5 9/16"

Gifts for Primary Families

It's that time of year in primary...BUSY!  I recently met with our presidency one morning at our ward building to clean out our primary closet.  This is the second primary presidency (2 different wards) I've served in where when it's come time to clean out the closets we've found an excess of GAK pictures from old primary manuals (these are the flimsy 2-sided pictures used in lessons, not the nice GAK pictures with the descriptions on the back).  

These aren't complete packets, so you can't put them with manuals to give to teachers.  They just sit there collecting dust.  I've used them in visual aids for teaching primary songs, and for sharing time lessons.

With our current excess of GAK pictures, we decided to compile "Reverence Books" for our primary families.  We simply put the GAK pictures in sheet protectors purchased from Costco, and put about 20 or so in each 1/2" binder (also from Costco).  There will be a cover page encouraging the family to add to their binder with more pictures, copies of reverent primary songs, appropriate poems, stories from The Friend, etc.  and wishing them a Merry Christmas!

 

3Here's an example of a cover insert.  Super simple...I just used paper (already has the butterflies, etc. on it) from the Nie digikit, added the text, and called it GOOD!

So, there you have it....a budget friendly, useful gift for primary families from the primary presidency.  Hopefully these books will encourage reverence in our sacrament meetings, even if for just a few minutes:)

We'll also be giving each family a CD of the primary program music for 2009. HERE is the list of songs & directions for downloading.

If you've served in a primary presidency or are a parent of primary children, I'd love to know what you've given/received from the primary presidency for Christmas. I've got a couple more fun primary gift ideas to share, so come visit again soon.

Why I go to Church

Last Sunday I was feeling unusually optimistic.  It looked like we had a shot of not just being on time, but being EARLY for church.  Since Wayne has started leaving several hours before us for meetings on Sunday, I admit I've missed his helping hands in the process of getting the kids ready and out the door for church.  I need to plan better, and hope my feelings don't come across as complaining, but rather show that behind a seemingly put together sister at church, there's an honest to goodness work in progress.

Back to Sunday...Both Grace and Caroline have a plethora of shoes, but when it came time to throw on A pair (we're not picky at this point on Sun.) a match was nowhere to be found.  Snow boots was sounding like an option.  The whining accelerated.  Wesley, who had just woken from his nap was cranky due to too many teeth coming in for his comfort.  The thought crossed my mind that Primary could run without me today.  The answer was yes, but I thought, "No...We'd come this far today.  Shoes and whining will not be my defeat." I felt like my heart and soul went into autopilot, we got ourselves together, shoes and all, and headed to church.  There was a serious scolding in the car, and lots of silence during our 25 minute drive.  I wish I could say it was the Peaceful kind of quiet.  I silently prayed that I would see why I come to church.  I knew the answer, but I felt a desire for a reminder.  The impression came to mind, "You are needed."  

We got to church just as it started, a record for the past couple months!  I was feeling good about that.  Wayne was with the YM helping with the sacrament, so I sat down with the kids.  Opening hymn started and so did Wesley.  He wouldn't sit still and had way too much to say.  I took him to the lobby wondering how the four kids I left behind would do until Wayne could come sit with them.  I admit feeling frustrated...we didn't make it through 5 minutes in the chapel!  As I sat there, out of the chapel walked my friend and her screaming toddler.  We commiserated for a few minutes.  She had a morning similar to mine.  We hoped our kids were doing well in the chapel. {I felt I had good reason to be concerned after Thomas whacked Christina over the head with The Friend magazine during Sacrament Mtg. a few months back.  We were sitting in the second row...not my proudest mommy moment!}  In those few minutes in the lobby with my friend...it felt good to be understood and to be understanding.

I took the sacrament in the lobby with Wesley.  We found Jesus in the beautiful paintings on the walls around us.  I was glad that one painting depicted Christ in Gethsemane. Gratitude.

Wesley went to nursery and seemed to dive right in, so I darted to Primary to conduct Opening Exercises.   The kids sang "Called to Serve" for the opening song, and I felt strengthened by their resounding voices.  "God our strength shall be, Press forward ever, Called to serve our King!"

Sharing time involved a visit from Sister Friendly.  Oh my, the kids adore her!  She wears an apron with surprises in the pockets and during her lesson she calls on reverent kids to pick a surprise.  She shared sweet experiences about personal service, and when she bore testimony saying, "It is a blessing to be here to serve," the Spirit swelled in my heart.  I was in the right place.  The children sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me."  Their angelic voices carried the message of the song and lifted my spirits once more.  Our chorister bore testimony and I felt thankful to be there.  The kids enjoyed a "popcorn party" for their wonderful singing over the past couple months in preparation for the Primary Program coming up in 2 weeks.  While the kids ate, I enjoyed visiting a bit with my friends who are also serving in primary.  I serve among talented, wise, spiritual giants.  A few minutes of "sisterhood" was wonderful.

Church concluded.  We made it, and I was feeling strengthened and inspired to make next Sunday morning run smoother.  I found Wesley's teacher and she said he was a little cranky throughout nursery, but bless their hearts for keeping him there and loving him for 2 hours!  I am so very thankful for those who nurture my children during church.  They are tremendous.  Heaven forbid any one of them have a morning like mine and decide to stay home...they are so needed!

And so it is...the Sunday morning scenario may never run perfectly smoothly at my house, but I do this each week because I said I would.  

I said that I would stand as a witness.  I said that I would consecrate my time and talents to the Lord's work.  I said that I would use my divine role as a mother to help my children build the sure foundation of their testimonies.  I said I would lead.  I said I would serve.  All of these commitments I have made throughout my existence, because I BELIEVE, and it feels good to fulfill these sacred promises, even despite my shortcomings.  It feels good to keep my word.  Although last Sunday I did not sit through a lesson taught by a teacher at church, it felt good to accumulate recharging moments when the Spirit bore witness to me of truth...through the voices of the children, the testimonies of leaders, and support of sisters.  Isn't it interesting....I go to church to give because of my faith, but I come away filled because of my faith.  Amid my moments of frustration, my Savior is The Peacegiver, offering evidence time and time again of why I go to church and why I BELIEVE.  I am ever thankful.

"And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

And they did meet together oft to partake of the bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done." -Moroni 6:5-6, 9

The Conversation that is Prayer

l Last week I struggled with one part of my primary lesson on prayer.  I knew I wanted to share an experience when I felt like my prayers were answered, but as always, I wanted the children to be able to apply the principle I was teaching to their lives TODAY, not just when big problems come.  At the end of my lesson I realized that the prayer experience I needed to share was about Grace.  She was sitting right there, looking as healthy as any other child in primary.  This was not the everyday experience I was looking for, but I didn't argue:).  I felt to preface that experience by reminding the children that sometimes it is obvious in big ways that our prayers are answered...we are healed, we are kept safe, we feel courage, we find what we're looking for, etc.  But it is important to know that every earnest prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father...the mealtime prayers, the morning prayers, the bedtime prayers, the prayers of faith and thanksgiving offered from the heart.  Then I told of Grace, specifically of when in the first hours of her life we found that she had pulmonary atresia that couldn't be treated right away because she had developed Necrotizing Enterocolitis.  It's a scary thing to be told that your day old baby's heart can't be fixed because she's got a more pressing issue!  The doc told us that they were starting Grace on aggressive antibiotic treatments, and until the NEC resolved we had to wait on repairing Grace's pulmonary valve.  PRAYERS.  We prayed.  We had our home teacher come to the hospital and assist Wayne in giving Grace a priesthood blessing.  She was told she would be healed and that it would be as if there was nothing wrong with her.  The next morning we got word that the NEC had resolved, and that Grace would have her Cardiac Catheterization as soon as possible.  Miracles.  I told the primary kids to look at Grace.  She's living proof of answers to prayers.

l What I didn't share with the primary children, but what has been a life lesson for me came days later.  My sister delivered a stillborn baby at 39 weeks.  We had been on the phone regularly during our pregnancies comparing notes, spitting in Drain-o to "know" the sex of our babies, dreaming of these two little girl cousins.  I remember getting the sad news of baby Julia's death and gasping in shock.  It made no sense.  We talk of faith healing and miracles, but I knew that my sister had no less faith than I, if anything she and her sweet family were much more faithful.  How could this happen?  My answer came quickly and clearly... "Faith does not mean believing in Christ because we got 'our way,' but faith also means believing in Jesus Christ even when you do not."  Isn't it ironic that although our babies faired differently, my sister and I both attribute our faith to getting us through those experiences?

l Not surprising, the key point in senior primary was made by one of the primary children.  After reading, D&C 6:22-23, J. who is turning 12 this week, was asked to share a time when he felt like his prayers were answered because the Spirit gave him peace.  J. said that one time he was saying his prayers and he repented for something he had done.  He finished his prayer and he waited.  Then he felt warmth inside and he felt like he was forgiven.

So, the challenge for the primary, adults included, was to take time in our prayers to have a 2-WAY conversation with our Heavenly Father...Wait...Listen.  Even if the answer doesn't come right away, we can feel the love of our Heavenly Father and know that He is there for us, and will help us in His time and in His way; the Perfect way.

l Something I didn't share with the children, but love to remember...

Primary Graduation

When the kids at our church turn 12 years old they "graduate" from primary to the Young Womens or Young Mens orginazation.  The YW in our ward came up with a fun tradition to welcome the new 12 yr. old girls.  All of the YW and YW leaders come over to the primary room with a set of handmade wings, blindfold the birthday girl, put her wings on her back, and bring her to YW for the first time.  I watched the YW come take Christina to YW  and was teary-eyed watching her enter this new fold of fellowship.  I have taught Christina in one way or another for over half of her primary years and so I'm seeing firsthand the importance of everything I and her other teachers and leaders gave through our lessons and leadership in Primary.  Part of me wanted to move up to YW with her and continue to have a hand in her growth there.  I do know that between her advisors and friends, she is in wonderful hands in YW.  I'll do my part in our home.

Yesterday Wayne (YM Pres.), the YM, and other YM leaders came to the primary room door.  I asked what they were doing, and Wayne said, "We came to get David."  I was cracking up because the YM haven't done this before and I wondered what the "boy version" of the "kidnapping" would look like.  The boys came in, said something to the effect of "Hey, David, we're here to get you," and Wayne picked him up, threw him over one shoulder and they all went to YM.  What a hoot!!!  David loved it, and I realized I need to start bringing my camera to church.

Happy Graduation, Christina and David!

We'll miss you in primary.

Primary sharing time lesson: Reverence

Years ago I got the idea for the following sharing time lesson on REVERENCE from a primary related website that no longer exists.  I wish I could credit the woman who got my thoughts going on how to tailor this to the primary groups I've taught.  I did find a similar lesson idea at Sugardoodle.  This lesson has become one of my favorites to present when the kids need to be reminded why we come to church and how reverence fits into our Sunday worship.

REVERENCE

Preparation:  

• Picture of an ancient temple (GAK #118)
• Assignments of people and animals possibly found at the temple Christ visited (see Matt. 21: 12-13).  Examples: moneychangers, doves, birds, donkeys, merchants, etc.  Either write names of roles on paper and tape under chairs for the kids to find or simply make class assignments.  I put coins in mason jars for the kids who played moneychangers to shake.
  
• Bible with Matt. 21: 12-13 marked
• Book of Mormon with Moroni 6: 5,6 & 9 marked

Lesson:

Begin by showing GAK #118.  

This temple represents a temple that may have existed in Jesus' day. How is it similar to our temples today?  What does it look like they used to build their temple?  Why did they use such costly materials?  Why do we go to great efforts today to make our temples beautiful?  What is the inscription outside our temple?  "Holiness to the Lord.  House of the Lord." What does that mean to you?

 Jesus visited a temple after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  What did he find at the temple?  Assign kids their roles, have them practice making the sounds of the animals, shaking the jars of coins loudly, etc.  Make sure your doors are shut and let it get pretty loud.  I told the kids that while my hand was open they were to play their role loudly, but when I made a fist, that meant STOP.  We practiced a few times.

Read  (or have a child read) Matt. 21: 12-13.

Why was Jesus angry?  What did Jesus call the temple?  What does "house of prayer mean to you?"

What is the purpose of our chapel?  Read & discuss Moroni: 6: 5,6 & 9.  What is the difference between being quiet and being reverent?

Sing "To Think about Jesus," Children's Songbook #71.

A question to ask the children to think about: If Christ were to come to our primary how would that effect my behavior?  Would I feel the need to quiet down?  Would I be more attentive?

Bear testimony.  I promised the children that each Sunday they would have the opportunity to feel and learn by the Spirit.  They will always have teachers who prayerfully prepare lessons, and it will be up to each of us to seek to learn by the Spirit in Primary.  We are being true friends when we save our chit-chat for before and/or after Primary so our friends can get the most from church as well.

How to throw a Project Runway party for your pre-teen girl

Christina has become friends with my friend's niece who is visiting until just next Tues., so we threw together a birthday bash for Christina so that her new friend, Meg could be included.  SO glad we did...sometimes a time crunch increases creative adrenaline.  We did a lot, but this theme can be kicked up another notch or two or ten, or it can be successfully pulled off in a much more simple way.  In our case, we came up with the theme: Project Runway on Tuesday and pulled this off 3 days later.  We planned for 3 hours of girly crafts & silliness, and had to call parents to ask for another hour of play time (could have gone on even longer).....the girls had a BLAST!

Prep:

I enlisted the help of all of my girls to draw as many fashion sketches as possible using Christina's sketch kit.  We taped these to the wall like a design studio.

I brought a garment rack up from the play room and collected clothes to hang on display, like you would see back stage at a fashion show.

Decide on a project or projects to be incorporated into the culminating catwalk.  We did three: painted t-shirts, decorated flip flops, and made hair accessories.  Later this week I'll post tutorials.  The shirts were still drying by the time we did the runway, and the girls wanted to wear these pink plastic heels instead of flip-flops for the runway, so the only craft that made it to the runway was the clippies.  Once you figure out what crafts you'll do, gather ALL the supplies and tools needed for the crafts and organize them in your decor, again going for the design studio look.

The birthday girl shrine:)....I brought Christina's bulletin board into the party decor and collected various pics of her to have on display, and added her name blocks as well to personalize things a bit.

Gather more fun dresses- I normally do NOT have pink velvety curtains in my DR and FR, but I borrowed Grace and Caroline's panels for the party...gotta play up the theme!  I hung more sequiny, fur trimmed, sparkly clothes from the curtain rods, again going for the studio look.

Food-  I thought 3 peas would be funny, but inappropriate...Christina opted for pizza for dinner and individual mini cakes (tins found at Michael's) and ice-cream for dessert.

Music- Christina and Wayne collaborated making a party appropriate playlist.  Songs included:

"Respect" - Aretha Franklin

"Birthday"

"Can't Buy me Love"

"Twist and Shout"- Beatles

"We Got the Beat"- Go-Go's

"Swimming Pool" - Submarines

"SOS"

"Burnin' Up"- Jonas Brothers

"Leave it all to Me"- Miranda Cosgrove (from iCarly)

Party favor bags- We found 1.99 fun looking tote bags at Christmas Tree Shop and used them to store runway supplies, take home gifts (lip gloss, bracelet & necklace), and crafts (flip-flops & finished clippies).

Now for the party low-down....

Guests arrive and sign birthday poster.

Paint t-shirts- hang them to dry

Eat pizza

Decorate flip-flops

Make hair accessories

Runway: The girls sat down on the runway, opened their bags and were instructed to put everything on in their bags for their first walk down the catwalk.  We cranked up the music and photographed them strutting down the runway.

Cake and ice cream- We opened presents while eating

Adios!

It was super hard narrowing down pictures for the slideshow, but here's a glimpse at Christina's Project Runway party....

PS...this could be tailored for teaching Activity Days or Young Women at church by making it modesty-related or making the most of basics (make several different looks out of one dress or a white shirt and khakis, etc.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NINA!

Baptisms

We've always lived in a wards where each child can have their own baptismal service.  The parents help the child come up with a program of their favorite songs, prayer and talk invitations, special musical numbers (if any), what to do in between the baptism and confirmation, and  choice of refreshments (if any) afterward.

From my experience serving in primary, I've come up with a few ways that are extremely helpful ways leaders, including VTers, HTers, primary teachers, etc. can help on the day of the baptism, so the parents can focus on their child's baptism and sharing that experience with family and friends who have come to show their support.

1. Photography- Either ask someone to take pictures for you or better yet, if you're a leader with a camera...OFFER!  You don't need to be a pro, just be there to take pictures of the family, the child being baptized, and candids.  I took pictures at a baptism yesterday and thought this one was priceless.

 

Photographs of the actual ordinances of baptism and confirmation are not allowed, but you can snap a few of the child immediately post-baptism, and you'll capture the biggest smile around!

For our son, Thomas' baptism, we asked a friend to take pictures for us.  It was nice to have ALL of our family in photos, and candids of ALL of our family because no one in our family was behind the camera.  Wayne & I both love photography, but we were happy to focus on Thomas and our loved ones rather than be behind the camera for Thomas' special day.

Thanks again, ELLEN!

2.  Food- Simpler is better, in my opinion, but no matter what the family chooses to do for food, friends and leaders can offer to "man the kitchen" so the parents can mingle, visit, and enjoy.  If you're able to have the baptism on Saturday, this enables you to avoid meal time.  Keep in mind that if you are asking others to help, if you choose to do a meal rather than desserts or something simple, clean up alone will involve at least another hour of their time, not to mention the cost is much greater.

Some ideas for food-

• For Thomas' baptism (July), we invited guests to have cupcakes with us on the front lawn of our church property.

 Bonus: With everyone there, it was easy to get a group photo.  
Clean up was easy, we visited for a while, and then went out to dinner with family who all traveled great distances to be there for Thomas.

• A friend of ours simply had their daughter who was baptized write a "thank you for coming" note which they copied and attached to Lindt truffles.  Two of their daughters handed these out to people as they left the chapel.  Simple and sweet!
  
• Another friend chose to serve rootbeer floats.  This was their son's choice as it was his favorite dessert.
  
• Another friend had a sundae buffet....ice cream and toppings galore!
  
• Christina's friend had a sit down Korean dinner that was amazing and true to their culture.  All of the dishes were disposable, so clean up was super fast.

3. Programs- The child being baptized and his/her parents should come up with the content and then get the nod from the bishop, but leaders can offer to take care of printing and bringing the programs to the church. 

4. Set up/Clean up- Leaders can make their service known ahead of time so the parents know that they've got help lined up to set up chairs & tables, and clean up if necessary.  In my experience, usually people just pitch in, but again, talking about this ahead of time lets the parents know they can count on YOUR helping hands.

5. Clothes- Offer to take the wet baptism clothes home to wash them and return them for the family.  One less thing for them to do!

6. Baptism Book of Remembrance- Many kids now have baptism books of remembrance.  We give them out at our Baptism Preview.  You can purchase them through Deseret Book, but they are also simple to make.  A while back Wayne home taught a family and I knew the daughter who was being baptized didn't have anything like a baptism journal, so I put one together for her.  Here's a basic baptism journal.

You can find a nice binder cover or do something very simple and then place the baptism journal pages within your child's scrapbook....or scan the pages after they are completed and put together a digital memory book through blurb, iphoto, etc.

7. Intermission- Families usually have something special planned for in between the baptism and confirmation.  If the family would like the primary's help, one thing that is helpful in maintaining reverence during intermission is to have the primary children sing several primary songs.  They can practice during primary the Sunday before the baptism- songs they already know, perhaps the baptized child's favorites.  This eliminates kids getting restless during intermission, and anyone who has heard a primary chorus knows what a joy it is to hear their sweet voices!  This also eliminates the tendency for chatter to get loud when simply the piano is played.  Mom or dad should be able to help their child change and look spiffy post-baptism and reflect for a moment on the Spirit, so offer to help with whatever intermission plans the family has in mind.  

8. Talents- Offer to play the piano or lead the music.  Offer to play a musical instrument during intermission, using the child's favorite primary songs or hymns.

9. Water- Offer to fill the font!  You'll need a building key or can plan on meeting someone at the building who has a key, but this saves the family a trip to the church while they are most likely hosting relatives and preparing family members for the baptism.

Baptisms can and should be a spiritual event for all attending, focusing on the actual ordinance and covenant rather than anything else!  The child and family should be able to walk away uplifted rather than exhausted.  This is a great opportunity for leaders, VTers, and HTers to offer valuable service to those they've been asked to serve.

Baptisms, I've found are a live and learn experience.  When I came home from a trip to UT when Christina was baptized, a family moved into our ward and their oldest was to be baptized within the month.  I was primary president at the time, but it took having my oldest child be baptized to really understand what the family goes through in planning and hosting a baptism.  I took my experience with Christina and worked with the family to identify where the primary leaders could best serve.  While the family is responsible for the baptism as a whole, they shouldn't be left alone to pull it off.  Baptism day was beautiful, the family was so thankful, and the mom and I have been friends ever since (that's you, Rolana:))!