Emma and the Young Authors Conference

Emma was chosen again this year (by her teachers) to attend the Young Authors Conference.  Talk about being excited.  I don't know if you know about it but students have to be invited to go by their teachers and a lot of the times they are looking for students that are creative or that have great imaginations.  I think (now this is just me) it is a great opportunity to learn how different authors/illustrators think and to help them with their own creative writing. Emma has a wonderful imagination and she is always writing stories and songs. 

When you are invited to go to the conference you write a story, illustrate it (if you want), bring it and read it in front of your group (they group the kids by grade, there are a couple of groups in each grade) and then listen to the author/illustrator and have a great time learning outside of the classroom.

This year they had John Stephen Gurney who is an illustrator and and author.  If you don't know the name you mustn't have kids, he is the illustrator for most of the A to Z Mystery series, The Bailey School Kids series and he just had his own book Dinosaur Train published.  He did a great job, I was really impressed with how he talk with the kids and explained how and why he draws the way he does.  I think Emma was really impressed.   She was so excited to come home and show here dad how the draw a grumpy old man.

 Emma and her certificate for participating.  Her story will be published in a book with all of the other stories that were written and read just for the conference. 

 Coco Meets a New Friend

By E. Draper

            Coco was a monkey.  She was a funny monkey, but very quiet. She only had one friend named Tori and she had just moved away.  Little did Coco know that was about to change. 

            One day Coco was up on the canopy in her pink summer dress.  Her mother called her saying “Coco please come here, someone is on the banana phone for you”.  “I’m coming” Coco said “hello”.  “Hi Coco, guess what”, said Tori “I get to come next week to visit”.  “That’s great” Coco said “I will see you then, let me know when you get here”.. 

            Later that evening Coco’s mom said, “I hear that we have a new family that just moved into Tori’s old home”.  “Oh” replied Coco.  “Would you like to come with me to say hi,” Coco’s mom asked her. “Sure mom that would be great” said Coco.

            The next day they went to the new family’s house.  While her mom was talking, she was looking around.  Out of nowhere a monkey came down the stairs.  She looked like she was the same age as Coco.  The monkey wasn’t shy at all.  She came right up to Coco and said, “I’m Lori, what is your name”?  “My name is Coco” said Coco.  “Cool” said Lori “do you want to play today”?  Coco said “let me ask my mom, do you want to come with me while I ask?”  Coco’s mom said “Yes, that would be alright”.   From then on Coco and Lori were the best of friends.  When Tori came to visit, all three of them played together.

 

 Emma getting his autograph in between classes.

Showing the kids how to draw a grumpy old man starting out with math.

I am glad she got to go.  I know I complain about all the things the schools do that costs, but I do have to say I am glad that she has been able to go to this for the last few years.  She has grown a lot in her story telling/writing and like I said she is always writing stories.  I don't know where her stories are but I hope she keeps them and refers to them later when she is older.  

February Visiting Teaching

 With our ward splitting last month we really didn't have our new routes in time to do something for valentines

day.  We finally got our routes and one day as I was surfing blogs or pinterest I saw a fun gift using M&M's.  So as I was thinking what I could use to go along with the theme for the month and M&M's, I decided on "You are a M&M (marvelous mother)! Have  a great day!!"  With the theme being on mothers, I thought it would work out great.  I found the pails (aren't they cute) with the ribbon already for their handle at Target (in the dollar bins) and put M&M's in a bag (who doesn't like M&M's), tied a bow and walla I thought they turned out great.  Simple and cheap!!

 

Valentines Day

 This year for Valentines Day I didn't get as creative as I did last year.  I was going to make heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, but when I got up at 5:30 I had forgotten that's what I wanted to do.  I thought about doing something for dinner except we now have young men's/young women's on Tuesday's (thanks to the split of the ward) and I wasn't sure if there was going to be enough time to do anything.  So I ended up not doing anything fun.  I did end up making the pink, heart shaped pancakes for breakfast the next morning.  The kids were excited and I think they ate more then they usually do. 

 

This year Em was the only one that needed valentines for school and she chose to give "Fun Dips" to her class mates.  She ended up not having enough to give her teachers, so one day as I was browsing one of my favorite blogs (ourbestbites.com).  I found a fun valentine here for her teachers.  I had every intention of making a fun fruity popcorn to go with the card (from their blog too) but time got the better of me and I ended up using microwave kettle corn.  No, it is not nearly as good as the other but it worked. 

It was fun and Em was so excited to give it to her teachers. 

Em got these cute valentines from a friend.   I thought they were so cute and she is already talking about making these for her friends next year. 

Andrew and Clark

Last night Andrew got his second wind just as we were getting ready for bed.  He decided he was going to beat up Clark.  It had all started when he took off my slippers and tried to get my toes.  Clark then decided he was going to help Andrew get mom's toes.  Clark had gotten me and Andrew is a little protective, that he quit getting my toes and started beating up Clark.  His "hiya's" are hilarious.  As he would hit Clark he would say "hiya" over and over again.  He is so funny.   Ryan eventually joined in and Andrew was having a blast going after both his brothers.  Once Andrew realized I had taken a video he wanted to watch it over and over.  Now that I was checking to make sure it worked with the blog he came running over to see it and is climbing on me so I can replay again, and again and again!!!  That's okay it makes me laugh and he grins every time he see's it.

But of course when he realized the camera was out he had to stop, pose and then look at the picture I had just snapped.  I don't know what these children would do with a camera that takes film. They are so spoiled to see the picture after it's been taken. 

What we have been up to

Well, I have been a slacker and haven't blogged about the boys basketball season yet.  I didn't forget I just didn't get very good pictures at their games, (I have to figure out how to use my camera inside and get good action shots like I can at their soccer games).  The season started back in December and ended last night.  Both Clark and Ryan were on the same team (mom loved that, two practices a week and one game on Saturday).  For the first little while it seemed weird not to have to be there for hours or three days a week, but soccer is starting up in the next few weeks and I am afraid my evenings will be spent up at the soccer fields.  The only problem is now that our ward has split we don't all meet on Wednesday's meet on Tuesday's and here everything is geared for church on Wednesday nights.  Well we will see what happens. 

Here are a few of the best pictures I took.

Clark

Yes, the basket was good!!!  He is getting so tall and will probably be able to dunk here soon.

Ryan improved so much this year.  He actually was able to touch the ball in the games. He shot a few baskets and missed but some that were close.  He did a great job at defending the ball.  He even had a few steals that were awesome!!!

What Andrew and Emma did during the games when I couldn't keep him in stroller.

Getting some advice from the coach.

I was experimenting with my camera and I was able to get shots of Clark at the line getting ready to shoot a foul shot.  Watch the ball.

                                          Swish!!!  He made it!!!












Crafty things I've had fun making!!

I had seen this done at Christmas on a wreath.  I realized I don't have a whole lot of Valentine's decorations so I thought how fun would it be to make a heart wreath.  I used a coat hanger and shaped it into a heart, bought some tulle (on sale for .77 cents @ Hobby Lobby) cut it into 11" by 8" strips, tied them on and the finished project.  I love projects that are cheap and easy.  I think I ended up getting approximately nine yards of tulle.  It could use a little bit more to make it poofyer (I don't think that is a word but I'm giong to use it anyway) but I already had to go back for more and I thought I got the same color, got home and is was more rose than hot pink.  It's a good thing it looks good together, you probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't of told you though. 

The next two projects came from a sister in my ward who got these ideas off Pinterest made them herself and then blogged about it.  I have only been on Pinterest for a couple of weeks and now just getting the hang of it.  I decided to try to make them since I loved them and here are my finished projects. (I don't know how to automatically take you to the blog but this is where I found it salttree.blogspot.com/2011/08/apothecary-esk-dyi.html  On top they are homemade apothecary jars that I used a tapered (glass) candlstick holder, a jar preferably with a lid and E6000 craft glue.  That's all.  It was so easy and when I showed them to some friends they had no idea that they didn't come that way.  I have enjoyed having them.  I needed something new for my mantle and wanted something (if I wanted) that a could change with the holidays.  Yes, the kids have enjoyed the conversation hearts and the cinnamon hearts that I decided to use for valentines decor.

On to the next project. This one is found at watchmedaddy.blogspot.com/2011/12/felt-flower-scarf-tutorial.html It was very very simple.  I really enjoyed making it, and I got a lot of compliments on it when I wore it to church.  All it is is felt.  Check it out.  I'm not going to go into details other then it was very simple.  These pictures don't do it justice but I like it. 

It seems like I have been more crafty lately, or I just decided to blog about it so I can remember some of the things I did so when I look back I can be reminded of some of the fun things I did.