Crocheting

On our Summer Fun List, the kids wanted to learn how to make bearded hats. This may take all summer, but today's a start....

Grant learning how to crochet a basic chain stitch

Teaching a "lefty" to crochet takes a lot of You Tube videos 

Brennan was sweet enough to make us some homemade cookies after some intense concentrating.....mmmm!!

Hiking with the Longours

First day of summer break and we are already checking things off our Summer Fun List! We went hiking with our good friends, the Longours, at Knight's Ferry. 

Grant and Antoine to the top!

Spencer and Charles best soccer buddies!

Valentine and Megan...."sisters"

Two amazing people...excellent cook of fine French foods

Look at this tree's roots~ Incredible!

The kids loved collecting tadpoles and frogs 

One of the many small frogs collected!

We have had so many great memories with this wonderful family. They have been on business in the U.S. for five years and now have to go back to their home country, France. My kids are very sad their best friends are leaving. We wish them the best and will see them soon in France!!

If You Need a Good Laugh...Read On!

Grant came home the last day of school with a lot of small toys that he had bought from his class store. Included in the loot, were these 6 suction cup things that spring high in the air if you turn them inside out, set them down, and watch them fly. Grant wanted to make sure he used them for all they were worth, trying out different uses. This use left a lasting impression......

He ended up with 2 big circles of broken blood vessels on his forehead. *This picture does not depict the true color of these circles. He could not hide them....still there after 4 days! Use at your own risk! (I am still laughing while typing this post. Grant has a special way of making people laugh and bringing a smile to all!)

2012-2013 School Year a Success!!

Last Day of School

The 2012-2013 school year has come and gone. Brennan completed 7th grade, Spencer 4th grade, Grant 2nd grade and Megan graduated from kindergarten! Our kids are growing up. Megan's class did their hand prints on t-shirts and all wore them the last day of school. They also had a big graduation celebration with a jump house, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, jewel hunting, painting, and other fun activities. Brennan knows that celebrations like these don't happen in middle school....finals and no backpacks allowed on campus the last week for his celebration. Enjoy them while you can! However, getting older may mean no parties at school, but it does mean having fun hanging out with friends. He was able to go to his friend's house on the last day of school to swim, kayak in their own personal pond, play pool, hang out with some farm animals and get chased by a bull (he learned quickly that bulls do not like to be petted between their eyes). He was safe after he ran away from the chasing bull and jumped in the pond! These kids have all done great this school year, ready now for some summer fun!

Teacher Gifts

This year we decided to do something personalized for all of the great teachers the kids have had!  We made a small quilt block that they can hang on their walls in their classroom. Megan wanted the bus material because her teacher has bus duty all the time. The boys were easy to please and went with the traditional school material. I can't tell you how excited I get when my corners miter perfectly! It's been a great school year, still can't believe it's the end.

Summer Fun List

This is our last week of school and I started getting a little anxious with summer break almost here. I am very good at filling the time and finding something to stay busy with. There's always something that is in desperate need of a good clean, an errand to run, or a new project to start. I knew that if we didn't do our summer planning, we wouldn't get off to a good start come Monday morning! I looked into a few summer classes/camps the kids might enjoy and decided to do some of our own camps right here at home (it really adds up when you start multiplying everything by 4)! The plan is to have each of the kids take a day when they will be in charge of organizing, teaching, and entertaining based on their topics chosen. Most of them are old enough to do their own research and collect any supplies if needed. We had family council and planned away. We first started out with the what our routine would be with chores in the morning. We have a chart for each kid so they are accountable for finishing their chores and not saying the classic "oh, I forgot about that one". Once chores are done, we will have a fun day camp!

Some of the topics they chose are: learn how to knit a bearded hat, make a quilt together, visit a flea market (Love it! I have no idea where they've heard of a flea market, but here we come Galt. Next to "flea market" they drew a "flea"; they may be surprised once we go shopping!), learn about blue prints, do a project involving wires, learn how to draw 3-D perspective, build epic forts, make homemade ice-cream, meet our new cousin Joseph (We're comin' to UT!), family history work, have an eating contest (This should be fun! I think "Studio C" had some influence on this topic), learn about another country, learn a new dance, go kayaking, build a Lego city together, visit all 3 temples around us, meet the prophet (not sure we can pull this one off, but we'll for sure learn more about him through research), learn how to binary finger count, read, make analysis posters, hike, swim, power circuits, do a science experiment and a few other ideas. The kids came up with some great topics that will keep us busy and focused on having fun this summer!

In my closet, I have the following poem below, posted to help keep me in check!  I hope this summer I'm able to help these kids fulfill all their summertime dreams!

Doing It Over...
By Diane Loomans

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.

Grant's Monster Marathon!

Grant earned this trophy at school for running a "monster marathon". His school has a running program  every Tuesday & Thursday where they can run at recess and try to run a total of 26.2 miles over the school year. Grant was the only one in his class to meet this goal! Go Grant!

Spencer's 4th grade speech

Spencer did a great job on his 4th grade speech!

All the 4th graders at his school wrote an essay on their favorite hobby and then presented it to their class. Spencer chose camping. He presented it to his class and won! He then presented it in front of his school and was 1 of  2 4th graders chosen to advance to the district Speech Expo! Spencer did an awesome job! There were no judges at this level, but if there were, he would have won :) On the day of the Expo, I don't know who was more nervous, him or me! I think my "mama nerves" were present because I knew how much time and effort Spencer spent on practicing his speech and I wanted him to be able to perform to his best ability. He did great and I was so proud of him!!

The Ogden Family Proclamation

• Instituted to establish a pending perfection environment where unity, peace, and Christlike behavior reigns

• Spiritual and secular knowledge are obtained, tried, and applied

• Opportunities for responsibility and trust are secured

• Individual talents, goals, and potentials are realized

• The journey of life with all of its growth experiences is valued and lived to its fullest

Unconditional love prevails for this Celestial eternally bound family