Let's play...

While driving her to school on Friday, our girlie was telling me her favorite quotes. One of them was from a ski movie we saw at Snowbird. George Bernard Shaw was quoted; "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

(That's a frog those boys have in their hands.)

I'm glad our girlie loves to play.   :)

My Mom and Dad were good at playing! Mom told me many times that kids should be played with. She said it taught them how to be good losers!!! Hahaha...
I thought that was so funny! I also thought that was a little mean! In hindsight, it's pretty wise.

I'm grateful that mixed in amongst life's hard times, there is time to play.

I'm also grateful there's time to sleep.    ;)

Holding our breath in the name of science...

You might say we've been holding our breath, waiting for this day to arrive. If you love science and science fairs, our hats off to you!

 

Our youngest twig just finished her last science fair project!!! Wahoo!! If you see us dancing in the streets, that's why.    :)

It's not that we dislike science...it just not our passion.

The twigs did learn to follow their interests over the years and studied subjects ranging from fire starters...

 

...staying warm on freezing nights in a sleeping bag...

 

...the effect a bird feeder's color has on attract birds...

 

...the effect gum chewing has on a person's ability to focus...

...to the ultimate nail polish (Revlon)...

 

...and more, as our school has students do science fair projects through the 9th grade.

I do have to acknowledge science fairs have been good to us in return for our efforts. The twigs all got opportunities to participate in the Ritchey Science and Engineering Fairs at WSU and won small scholarships and even a cash prize (which she delightedly spent on more nail polish).        :)

There are no tears, however, in our saying goodbye to the science fair days.   :)
Wahoo!!!
...dancing...dancing...dancing.............

Wisdom and camping with scouts...

A few weeks ago we headed out to the island for Family Home Evening. We talked about dreams and goals. Lifetime, 10 year, 5 year, and 1 year dreams and goals. A few of the "lifetime" dreams/goals I mentioned just to get them thinking were:
- have a close, personal relationship with God
- swim the English Channel
- be a gopher farmer
- have 8 children (yes, it's true, I shamelessly admit trying to plant in their young minds the desire for
                          many children so I can have many grandchildren!)

We skipped rocks and enjoyed the sunset while we talked about our Exemplar, Jesus Christ. In Luke 2:52 we read "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" and agreed that our goals could focus on increasing in wisdom (mental), stature (physical), favor with God (spiritual), and favor with man (social).

I asked the twigs what "wisdom" was and how we get it. They talked about wisdom being different from knowledge, then Hunter's observation on how to get "wisdom" took the cake.

He said...

..."You learn wisdom by going camping with your scouts."

I was speechless.   :)
Wasn't sure if he was totally joking and I should burst out laughing...or if he was serious, in which case the "bursting out laughing" response would not be ideal.

So I intelligently said, "Oh yah???"

He affirmed in all seriousness, that's how you learn wisdom.

So, I give thanks again to all the Scout Leaders who have taught my boys many things, one of which is...wisdom. Thanks, men!!

xoxo

Valentines gift...

For a Valentines gift this year we skipped the flowers, dinner & a movie, jewelry, weekend get away ideas and went for an annual pass to Antelope Island. It's gorgeous on the Island in the Spring and we can not get enough.

The twigs got to put a few miles on their new footwear (hiking boots for trek).

I love hiking pictures of the twigs from behind! What's with that? No clue...but it's totally true. Maybe it has to do with that's my usual view when we're hiking so it gives me some kind of deja vu.   :)

The twigs got their rock scrambling in.

The bison's wooly coats were thick even down their legs. They were marvelous looking with their thick winter beards.

There were just a couple of birds around that evening.

This was Rascal's first visit to the Island. He approved of the Valentines gift. Come visit the Island with us!

Signs of Spring...

They're back!    :)

One of our favorite signs of Spring is having birds come to nest in our birdhouse. Happy Spring!

Hope the jabberwocky (here) stays away from these two!