Monday, December 6, 2010

Samuel the Lamanite and Isaiah Testify of Jesus Christ's Birth (plus flannel board figures for Christ's birth)

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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We spent the weekend out of town and woke up to some weirdness here, so there won't be a full lesson today.  Instead I've uploaded three flannel board stories---Samuel the Lamanite, Isaiah Prophesies of the Savior, and Jesus Christ's Birth.   I hope that this will help you as you teach your families about Christ this Christmastime. 


Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Isaiah Prophesies of the Savior                                                            


Samuel the Lamanite                                                            



Jesus Christ's Birth                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  


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Monday, November 29, 2010

Tithing FHE Lesson

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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Just in time for tithing settlement....


I love the one-of-a-kind tithing wheel that goes over what our tithing is used for and I love the sweet story about Emma who isn't sure her small amount of tithing will make a difference.  Your kids will love the ice cream game to help them practice figuring out what 1/10th is and you will love how smart your kids are when the bishop starts asking them about tithing during tithing settlement!




Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).


Tithing FHE Lesson                                                            

And here's a bonus activity that my kids love when we learn about tithing.  I thought it was a little much to include in the lesson, so I've made it a separate document, so you can print it off if you want.  It's a cute activity from the June 1999 Friend (before they started posting their pictures/activities online). 

Tithing Around the World                                                            



PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  


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Monday, November 22, 2010

Faith and Courage: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego FHE Lesson

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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Another note:  I will probably be a little more sporadic in posting these lessons over the next few weeks during the holiday season.  I'll post what I can, but I anticipate not being able to do so every Monday.  


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  I love this story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their faithfulness and courage while their lives were in mortal danger.  I think that it's important for kids to know that most likely they will never be placed in a life or death situation in defending their faith, but that the spiritual battles we face every day are every bit as dangerous to our eternal lives as a fiery furnace would be to our mortal lives. 

I also find it very interesting to ponder on the story of Abinadi in relation to this story.  They were both faced with very similar trials of their faith, but each had a very different outcome. It may be a fascinating discussion for older kids to talk about the differences, emphasizing that  Abinadi was no less faithful than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but that the Lord simply had a different overarching plan in place.  

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Faith and Courage: Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego  FHE Lesson                                                            


Here are the videos I mentioned in the lesson: 

Retelling the story:





A fun song:


Goofy: 


PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  


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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tips For Starting Your Own FHE Lesson Exchange Group

Over the years, I've been in several FHE lesson exchange groups with a myriad of different people.  Each one was different and had their own "personality", but I have found that there are certain common elements that are the likeliest to result in happy participants.   Here are a few tidbits I have learned over the years.

First, you need a strong leader.  

You will need someone who is excited about family home evenings and who is willing to take the effort to make the group successful.  They will need to be able to call a planning meeting, send email updates regularly,  communicate expectations, enforce the deadline, and, in general, keep on top of keeping the group running smoothly. 

Second, set up your expectations and make sure everyone clearly understands them.  (see below for specific things to include in your expectations)

  I think many people are afraid to take charge in a situation like this and don't want to act bossy, but I absolutely believe that it's the single most important thing you can do to make sure that people are happy with their experience in the group. Call it being a benevolent dictator. 

It's not about telling people exactly how to do things, but rather letting them know what the expectations are so that everyone is on the same page.  In loosely structured groups where specific guidelines aren't given, you tend to get a broad spectrum of quality.  Some people will knock themselves out with lots of laminated visuals and hours of research and others will print some outline off the internet the night before with a 1-inch fuzzy picture.  It isn't really fair for either participant and the person who did little work will feel guilty, while the ones who put in hours and hours of work will feel gypped.  Guilty or gypped--neither is great for repeat participation or happy members. 

You can't assume that everyone has the same idea about what entails a good lesson, so it is essential that you communicate it from the VERY FIRST MEETING.  Type up the expectations in a concise manner and distribute them to every member.   Make sure new members receive them before deciding whether to join or not. (SEE BELOW FOR SPECIFIC THINGS TO CONSIDER IN CREATING THE GUIDELINES)

Third, make the deadline firm--without exceptions.  
 I may come off as heartless on this one, but I've been in enough exchanges when I say absolutely that the deadline needs to be firm.  Of course, there will people who have conflicts and may not be able to attend the exchange, but they will need to make the effort to get their lessons there ahead of time (and to pick up their lessons afterward).  If someone does not have their lessons done in time for the exchange or does not make the effort to get their lessons there DO NOT, I repeat do NOT, start making accommodations or holding lessons or hold someone responsible for distributing theirs later.  It sounds simple at the time, but trying to track people down at a later time to distribute late lessons is always a pain and is completely inconsiderate to the people who did it what it took to make the deadline. 

My experience shows that if the deadline is loose, there will always be someone (often the same person time after time) who inconveniences everyone with their procrastination/lack of preparation.  You do not need this extra stress in your life and it sets a precedent that will be very difficult to keep up with.  

 If you simply say that the lessons absolutely MUST be there the night of the exchange or the person does not get to participate you will save everyone a whole lot of trouble. Simple as that.  It's not cold-hearted, but rather fair and compassionate for the rest of the group who has made the effort to get it done on time (and frankly for the procrastinator who knows it's a firm deadline).  In the groups I participated in,  where this was expected, there was never, in 3+ years, a person who missed getting their lessons there.  

If there is someone in the group who has a true emergency (like a death in the family or a large medical issue), then consider asking the members of the group to donate their lessons as a service, rather than waiting for that person to recover or excluding them from the group. 

Finally, enjoy the lessons and use them. 

Consider them a treasure of take good care of them.  Find a filing system, so you can find what topic you're looking for quickly.  Be cautious about loaning them out. I've learned this the hard way.  If you do loan them out, consider a checking out system where you keep track of the person (and date) of when the lesson was lent.  I'm still sad about some of the lessons that were never returned to me and I have no memory of who I loaned them to several years ago.  

I've heard people say that their kids outgrew the lesson packets, but I'm a firm believer that these lessons can be used well into the teen years.  Now that we have a wide range of ages (5-15) we still use the lesson visuals and outlines as a starting point and often finish with a whole new focus.  I've used parts of lessons for primary lessons, sharing times, and even YW lessons.  Visual aids, object lessons, and real life applications never go out of style.  I plan on keeping mine for many years and passing them on to my own kids someday.  :)

More tidbits and some things to consider when constructing your expectations:

What to include? 
What to include is up to you and the personality of your group.  I've been in groups where people wanted shorter, simpler lessons and other groups where it was expected to jump through rings of fire to participate.  My favorite group was a happy medium.   We had a communicated expectation that each lesson would at least include a story (or scripture story) with visuals and some kind of activity/game/object lesson with visuals.  Visuals would be colored and laminated.  Lesson outline would be typed and in  a sheet protector.   Small pieces would be kept in ziploc bags.  Black and white originals (see below) would be included.   It took time and effort, but at the end they were  well-rounded lessons and still among my most loved and well-used lessons.  

Age focus. 
I have found that an elementary school focus is about right.  They can be simplified for preschool aged kids and discussed in more detail for teens.  Lessons could also include enrichment ideas for ways to adapt to younger and older groups. 

B & W originals? 
Again, totally up to your group, but I really like having the black and white originals.  I've had pieces get lost or destroyed by a young child, and I liked being able to go back and recreate it.  

Laminated or not?  
It's up to you and your group, but I feel like having them laminated as part of the exchange is something you won't regret.  Some people will have to borrow laminators to make it happen, but after putting so much effort into  creating the lessons, it's really, really, really nice to have them already durable and totally ready to go. 

Colored? 
This sounds silly, but if it matters to you, then communicate this.  I was in a group where it was required that things were colored the color they were supposed to be, rather than people copying black and white visuals onto colored cardstock.  Although it is more work and expense to make color copies (or hand color them), I actually really liked this requirement, because the visuals are way more fun and interactive for the kids when they're colored correctly.   Again, if you don't communicate this specifically then be prepared to accept a variety of ways. 

Paper?
Do you want all visuals to be printed on cardstock for increased durability?  What about outlines? Tell them what is expected.  I personally recommend hands-on visuals always be printed on cardstock (then laminated).  Outlines can go either way.

How to store? 
 Manila envelopes are probably the easiest to file and having them be able to be clasped shut is nice for not losing pieces.  
Parts of the lesson with small pieces should be stored in small ziplocs and/or in sheet protectors. 

Labels?  
It's nice to have this be a part of the requirement.  Make sure labels include the title of the lesson, what parts are inside, what materials need to be gathered, and who created the lesson. 

Reminder emails.  
A leader should be sending regular emails, reminding them of the upcoming date and giving people encouragement and enthusiasm.  I have found that reminder emails are huge for conveying the seriousness of the due date and making it harder for people to "forget" what they signed up for.  Send a weekly email  starting a month before the deadline and at least one or two the same week reminding them of the upcoming meeting. 

How often to hold the exchanges? 
I have found that quarterly meetings are the best for keeping happy participants.  More often than that can get overwhelming quickly and less often and people get out of the routine.  I liked February, May, September, and early November.  It misses the summertime and major holidays and if that's what you always do, people will know to gauge their time accordingly. 

How many people in a group? 
I think anywhere from 6-12 participants is about perfect.  I'd hesitate going higher than that and I would consider making it a set number, so people know how many lessons to plan on for the future.  I often was working on lessons several months in advance and I really liked knowing how many to count on.  Make a waiting list when your group is full. 

Topics? 
Do you want it to be whatever random topic people think of?  Or based on the church FHE manual?    Lessons from my index?  :)   
Each group will have its own preference, but I think you get a higher quality when people are allowed to choose a topic that they're feeling passionately about (or feel inspired to share).  Yes, it's possible to get repeats this way, but I don't mind having a couple lessons on the same topic from different perspectives, so I can choose the focus that I want to share with my family.  The few times that I have received lessons that were very similar, I would just give away the superfluous one as a gift.

Feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you have any specific questions about starting your own group.  It is something that was a huge part of my life at one point and I love to share my ideas of which things worked and which didn't.

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See also:
What is an FHE Lesson Exchange Group and Why Should I Start One?
Making and Storing FHE Lessons 

Coming soon: 
A sample set of FHE Lesson Exchange Group Guidelines. 


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Monday, November 15, 2010

I Can Be Courageous Like Jesus Christ

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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Courage is one of those nebulous concepts that seem to belong to other people--to heroes and legends--and not so much to us living our every day lives.  This family home evening lesson is to disprove that way of thinking and make courage the stuff  of daily living.

It starts off by showing examples of how Jesus Christ showed courage throughout his life, then moves on to real-life applications on how we can follow Christ's example in situations we may face.  Every time I give this lesson, I like it even better than before.

Hope you enjoy it too! 

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

  I CAN BE COURAGEOUS LIKE JESUS CHRIST FHE LESSON







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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What is an FHE Lesson Exchange Group and Why Should I Start One?

What is a Family Home Evening Lesson Exchange Group? 
It's a group of moms that are all excited about having more meaningful and creative FHE lessons in their family, so they gather together to form a group to exchange lessons. 

How does the exchange work? 
 Let's say a group of 10 people decide to form a group.  Each person is responsible for creating an all-in-one lesson (including outline, visuals, activities) about one topic.  They make 10 copies of their lesson, including cutting everything out, so that it's all ready to use.  Then on a pre-chosen night everyone meets together,  each with 10 copies of their one lesson and exchanges them, so that everyone goes home with 10 completely different lessons. 

Why should I start my own group (or participate in an existing one)? 
Because each person is only focusing on one lesson topic at a time, you get their full creative efforts for each topic.  In other words, for the time commitment you're getting quite the bargain for 10 amazing lessons. 

Isn't it really time consuming to put together several lessons at a time? 
Yes, if you put your heart and soul into it, it really can be time consuming.  BUT considering what you receive back as "reward" for your efforts, the reward being several weeks worth of well-planned, fun lessons that are ready to pick up and teach, it is well worth the efforts.  I'm the kind of person who would have struggled researching, cutting, and laminating every week just for my family, but I found the pressure of the deadline and wanting to share a well done lesson with the other members of the group, as a very motivating push for me. 

A word of caution.   Do your research before joining a group.  Every group has its own dynamics and expectations and you want to know what you're signing up for before you commit.  If you're forming your own group, think about what elements of the lesson are most important to you and clearly communicate the expectations to anyone that is considering joining. 


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See also...
Making and Storing FHE Lessons

Coming soon....
A Complete Guide on How to Start Your Own FHE Lesson Exchange Group.


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Monday, November 8, 2010

Thanksgiving and Service FHE Lesson

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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Mondays always used to be my weekend recovery days.  I'd clean up, get caught up on laundry, menu plan, etc. and wait for my kids to come home, all the while putting these lessons together.   This year, however, I've found that Mondays are one of my craziest days of the week.  I'm feeling lucky to get this lesson done today and wondering whether I should choose another day to be my lesson typing/scanning day!  Finally after driving the carpool to Activity Days,  I just ran to the library (with girls still in tow) where I'm uploading the lesson in only 20 seconds instead of 20 minutes at home!  :)  

This lesson ties the concepts of gratitude with service.  The lesson is loosely based on Matthew 25:31-45, where you'll read, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me."   I love teaching my family that gratitude is more than just saying thanks or making lists, but also is selflessly looking for ways to reach out to others.  While big, time-consuming service projects are wonderful, I want my family to understand that it's the small, daily acts of service that can be the most meaningful. 

I hope you'll enjoy "Erin, the Good Samaritan" with its cute visuals and the pictures to accompany Matthew 25:31-45.  My kids loved the service matching game to get their creative juices flowing in thinking of ways they can show service. 

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Thanksgiving and Service FHE Lesson                                                            


PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  


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Monday, November 1, 2010

Jesus Christ in the Americas: Scripture Story with Flannel Board Figures

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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It's been a fun, but very busy weekend here at our house.  Adam's baptism day was on Saturday which brought family from near and far to join in for the occasion.  It was a beautiful day, both weather-wise and spiritual-wise.  Later that night was our ward's fall festival which brought me to baking pies, cooking soup, and baking cornbread most of the afternoon.  Sunday morning dawned early with a happy little 10-year-old very excited about her Halloweeny birthday.  It was another jam-packed day squeezing in our church callings, Emma's birthday festivities, a big family dinner, and answering the doorbell for the few trick-or-treaters that came our way (only about 12-15 or so). 

Our family has started heading home today and I'm already sad about the "quiet" that's creeping back into our house.  Not that it's really quiet or anything, but the silly Grandpa teasing and the ensuing giggles are quieted.  The conversations with Grandma while snuggling on her lap are gone.  They barely left and we're missing them already. 

Because of the crazy weekend and the fact that the kids are off of school today and tomorrow, today I'm posting another scripture story, which are much less time-consuming to pull together than the full lessons are.  This story and visuals are one one that my friend, Jen Johnson (she moved to Dallas a few years ago and I still miss her), compiled.  I love the fun, whimsical visuals that accompany it (I think the visuals might be from Val Chadwick Bagley). 

Hope your autumn and Halloween festivities have been fun
(and only a little spooky)!!!
 

 Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).


Jesus in the Americas Scripture Story with Flannel Board Figures                                                            


PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  


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Monday, October 25, 2010

"Fruits of the Spirit" FHE Lesson

NOTE:  If you're looking for our family blog, go here.  This blog is now 100% FHE lessons and parenting topics.  :)
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 The concept of this lesson--to teach family members how to differentiate between the fruits of the spirit and the fruits of the devil--is fairly simple in and of itself, but teaching them how to apply the concept to their lives is an invaluable skill to learn (and the part I struggled to convey effectively in the outline).  It is my hope that the lesson will help them to learn to look at the fruits of the spirit (or vice versa) in choosing with whom they associate, in recognizing the example that they're setting on a day-to-day basis, and in trying to align their lives more in tune with the fruits of the spirit.  

 Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Fruits of the Spirit FHE Lesson                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Fun in the Kitchen: Halloween

I've decided to post this here (before the Recipe Shoebox) because I feel like kids and parents spending time together in the kitchen can be invaluable bonding time, not to mention great for developing  some fun memories together...  

For some reason, autumn gets me excited to find fun projects to try with my kids.  I love the time we spend cooking together and I love the confidence they gain from performing cooking tasks by themselves--spreading the frosting, adding ingredients, decorating, etc.  I really feel like the kitchen is a great place to develop a child's sense of independence in a safe way (with Mom by their side).     This post is a compilation of some of my favorite Halloween treats that we've created together over the last couple of years.   Happy cooking!   
(By the way, don't mind the imperfect pictures.  These are all 100% kid decorated!) 




Rice Cake Jack-o-Lanterns


Cute Owl Cupcakes (recipe/directions coming soon)


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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Just a Note....

I'm posting this reminder for my Dad who just a couple of days ago called me at 10:30pm and asked me what was wrong with my blog and where did all my posts go.

Remember, this is no longer my family blog.  If you're interested in catching up with the day-to-day happenings of our family then go here (link is also up above).   Feel free to add or change your links, subscriptions, and bookmarks accordingly.  This blog will be only for FHE lessons and other gospel related and parenting topics. 

I love you Dad and I'm glad you finally noticed!  :)

Slowing Down

 My family has often told me that I am crazy, but somehow I seem to thrive on being busy.   Open spaces in my calendar fill me with guilt that I surely could be doing more. 

Today I tried my darnedest to post a new FHE lesson.  It was going to be about the fruits of the spirit.  It's all scanned in and half-typed.  But life happened.  In addition to the normal chaos of Mondays which include it being an early release day at school, today was also Adam's birthday celebration at school since his birthday fell on a weekend.  I found myself decorating cupcakes and delivering them to his school in the time I normally would have spent on a lesson.  In past times, I may have knocked myself out and made it happen anyway, but it just wasn't coming together the way I'd hoped anyway, so I'm throwing  in the towel. 

So instead of a lesson, I'm going to share this little photo essay with you with a quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf that particularly struck me during the most recent General Conference.    It may be that Ellie is so exhausted all the time from her medicine or it may be that Ellie's mama is so exhausted all the time from keeping up with the kids, but lately I've been really feeling like we need to slow down more and this talk was just the inspiration I needed. 


"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
 
It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.


The wise understand and apply the lessons of tree rings and air turbulence. They resist the temptation to get caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice 'There is more to life than increasing its speed.' In short, they focus on the things that matter most.



Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, 'We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.'




The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.


There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.


Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.


Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace." 




Thank you to my friend Katie for the inspiration.  :)




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Monday, October 11, 2010

Miracles: Jesus Heals a Blind Man

Just in case you missed the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: 

This blog is now 100% FHE lessons, scripture stories, and parenting topics!!

No, I haven't lost my blogging bug.  It's just that I felt like my blog was becoming too compartmentalized between my family stories and the FHE lessons (where 80% of my traffic comes from).  It is my hope that through this change that those that are interested in the day-to-day stories of my family  will have a place that is 100% Lara goofiness (or boringness) and for those that are mostly here for the FHE lessons won't have to wade through all the stories to find what lesson you want.  (yes, I've been told I'm a people pleaser before and I don't deny it.

Don't forget to switch bookmarks, subscriptions, and links based on which blog (or both) that you want to keep tabs on. 

Since it's a day off school, I've had to settle for posting just a scripture story again.  I hope to be back to a full lesson by next week.  Do stay tuned for more Miracles of Jesus in future weeks....

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Miracles of Jesus:  Jesus Heals a Blind Man                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics.


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them. The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know. Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.  ellie 5 6

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Newsy...

1st item of business: 

WELCOME to my new blog!!!!!  For a variety of reasons, I decided that it was time to separate my FHE lessons and parenting philosophies from the day-to-day happenings of our family, so from now on this blog will be solely for FHE lessons and articles on parenting.  (Thanks to my awesome sister-in-law Karey for the redesign!)

Feel free to unfollow/unsubscribe if that isn't why you're here...I understand

2nd item of business: 

If you do like to read about the day-to-day happenings of our family make sure you subscribe/bookmark/change your links/etc.  to "One Day at a Time..."  (I'm leaving the link up on my menu bar at the top to make it easier for you.) 

Again, no pressure.  I know that people are here for all sorts of reasons and I'm hoping that these changes will help you all to get a little more of what you want. 

3rd item of business: 

We haven't officially heard the results of the MRI, but....

(to read more click here to go to my brand new family blog)




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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Ellie

In answer to your questions: 

  • Ellie is having her MRI on Thursday, which was a direct answer to our prayers.  They'd originally scheduled it for October 27 and we hated having to worry for that long.    Because of her young age (and propensity for wiggling), the MRI has to be done under sedation at the hospital.  Her safety during the procedure is now the focus of our prayers. 
  • Based on the kinds of seizures that she's having (petit mal) and the lack of other symptoms, the neurologist does not expect there to be any abnormalities with the MRI, but just wants to make sure. 
  • Ellie has 15-20 noticeable seizures a day and the only way they are noticeable is if I'm in the same room with her and/or interacting with her.  The doctor estimates that she's having dozens upon dozens more each day that go unnoticed. Unless you were interacting directly with her, you may not ever notice one of her seizures, but all those seizures in a day in 10-15 second increments sure make for a lot of missed cognizance in a day for her.         
  • Ellie is back to school this week.  The school is holding a seizure training session with all of the teachers that Ellie comes in contact with during a day.   They will be trained on how to notice the seizures and how to redirect her when she regains consciousness.  They will also be trained on what to do if she ever has a grand mal seizure, which although somewhat unlikely still, is more likely now that she officially has epilepsy.  
  • Ellie has no idea why she's going through all this.  She thinks that a seizure has something to do with the little cough she had last week.  We have no idea how to tell her any more than that. 
  • If Ellie is walking when a seizure occurs, she sometimes  clumsily and absently keeps walking, although she's totally unresponsive and unaware of her surroundings.  I'm very worried about her playing in high places (like the play equipment at school), but so sad to have to ostracize her in that way. 
  • It's looking more and more like she has Childhood Absence Epilepsy, which is considered among the most mild and treatable forms of epilepsy.  Children often outgrow it in adolescence, although having epilepsy at all makes her much more prone to other forms of epilepsy later in life. 
  • The doctor has prescribed a medicine for her, which she will start taking twice a day in very small doses.  We're a little on the anti-medicine way of thinking, but feel strongly that for Ellie's quality of life we need to be diligent with it.  It is our hope that side effects will be nonexistent or minimal.
  • Your kind comments and prayers are very much appreciated.  :)


  • Totally off topic, but, yes, I'm doing strange things with this blog (hence all the missing posts).  All will be revealed shortly. 



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Change is the Air

Big changes are afoot at The Golden Seven. 

They have been in the works for months (mostly in my mind) and I feel like now is the time to implement them.  Stay tuned...

Monday, October 4, 2010

Parable of the Talents

This isn't a full FHE lesson, but it would be perfect for teaching your family about spiritual gifts and talents. I love the visuals with this!

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Parable of the Talents

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics.


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them. The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know. Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Blessings of Obedience FHE Lesson

This lesson is one we could review every other week in our house.   I love the cute lighthouse story and activity...

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).


Obedience FHE Lesson                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Monday, September 20, 2010

Building a House of God FHE Lesson

This lesson is one of our most favorite and well-used lessons.  Why it's taken me so long to post, I have no idea.  We use this one probably twice a year, because I feel like it's such a good reminder of all of things we can be doing as individuals to help strengthen our homes and families.

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons. 


BUILDING A HOUSE OF GOD FHE LESSON

Monday, September 13, 2010

Fasting FHE Lesson

This lesson was one of the first lessons I created when I started participating in a FHE group.  I love the role play in this that gives a little synopsis on fasting (and no I did not change the names).  That fasting wheel was one of my pride and joys when I first created it.  It was based on a similar wheel I found in the Friend magazine and I just changed the pictures and words to fit with my own lesson.  I hope you enjoy it!

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays). 

Fasting FHE Lesson                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Courageous Queen Esther

Here's another scripture story--one of my favorites--Queen Esther.  I love sharing with my family about the righteous women in the scriptures and the whole idea of her being a queen adds an extra appeal that makes her story all the more exciting to my girls.  :)

I should be back to posting full lessons next week after I've hopefully regained a small sense of routine back into my life.   Have a wonderful Labor Day! 

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

Courageous Queen Esther                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Noah's Ark

Okay, so this isn't really a family home evening lesson.  It's just a scripture story with really cute visuals, but since my brain is currently in chaos mode with the school supply fundraiser coming due this week, it's all I could do.  I really like the cute younger children version of the story and the adorable visuals.   :)   It would be perfect as part of a preschool, primary, or FHE lesson. 

I probably will publish another scripture story (Esther?) next week, instead of a lesson as well.  I hope to be back to normal (maybe) after school starts again. 

Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).
 
Noahs Ark                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Monday, August 23, 2010

My Body is a Temple FHE Lesson

 We had this lesson last week in our family and I thought it was great for facilitating discussion among all the kids (ages 5-15).   Kids these days are bombarded with so many messages from modern culture and the media that devalue our bodies and teach us that we should be slaves to our own desires.  I feel like truly understanding the principle that our bodies are like temples is an invaluable tool for making good choices through our lives. I hope you enjoy this lesson as we have. 

 Click here to view the index of my other ready-to-print FHE lessons (with a new one published most Mondays).

My Body is a Temple:  I Will Keep My Body and Mind Sacred and Pure FHE Lesson                                                            

PS For optimal printing performance, it is best to create a free account with Scribd.com and download the PDF file before printing. As always, feel free to email me at wawadehut@gmail.com if you are having troubles viewing or printing these lessons. I also love to hear your feedback and ideas for future lesson topics. 


It has been brought to my attention that some of my older lessons have been moved into the Scribd archives, which means that you have to pay a fee to download them.  The fee is nominal ($5 to download as many lessons as you want in 24-hours), but if you'd like me to send one or two of them to you as an email file let me know.  Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (30+ minutes to upload each lesson), I would not be able to email more than one or two lessons to you, but I'd be happy to do it if you let me know. 

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Top 10 Best-Loved Children's Books

This post is as much for preserving some of our family history as it is for those of you with young kids looking for some new picture books.  These books are the most well-loved and treasured books in our house.  Collectively I'm certain they've been read thousands of times.  It is my hope that in sharing them here, that you may find a few new ones to treasure as well.   

What is Your Language? (by Debra Leventhal):  This cute book came with a cassette tape with the words of the book set to music.  We haven't had a cassette player in our house in years, but my younger kids still know the tune to the song because we (me, Spencer, and Cami) remember it so well.  This book follows the journey of a little boy who travels around the world and hears the word, "Yes" in all the different languages.  It's a quick read, but fun and educational too.  (Si, Da, Hapana, Oui...)


Officer Buckle and Gloria (by Peggy Rathmann):  This hilarious book follows the adventures of Officer Buckle and his boring safety speeches.  Boring, that is, until Gloria the dog comes along and livens things up a bit. 


Growing Frogs (by Vivian French):  This book is a cute story about a little girl and her mother who find some frog eggs in a pond and take them home to take care of them and watch them grow from tadpoles to frogs.  It's very detailed and informative, but also very appealing and fun for the kids. 


Bedhead (by Margie Palatini):  This book cracks us up.  It's all about a little boy who has a serious case of bedhead and it follows his adventures as he tries to get rid of his bad hair day.  This book is great for lively, animated storytelling. 


Are You My Mother?  (by PD Eastman):  I think this book has been one of the first "real" books that my kids have read by themselves.  The story is cute and the words simple.  Since it is a little long, we usually take turns reading every other page. 


We're Going on a Bear Hunt (by Michael Rosen):  This repetitious book is great for toddlers because it's so easy for the kids to chime in during the reading.  I think every single one of my kids has had this book completely memorized at one point.  Even still when faced with a mud puddle, my kids will yell, "Squelch, Squerch..." as we trudge through it! 


Bill and Pete (by Tomie de Paola):  { Fair warning--the last page of this book has a naked bum in it.  It's whimsically drawn and has perfect comedic effect, but I thought you should be warned.}  Having said that though, this book has taken its turn as a favorite with all 5 of my kids.  My kids sing out the alphabet has Bill learns it in crocodile school and when the "bad guy" (as he's actually referred to in the book) jumps out of the bath and runs "all the way to Cairo" with his naked bum running off into the distance, my kids (and me) laugh hysterically. 


Chrysanthemum (by Kevin Henkes):  This book is all about a little girl named Chrysanthemum who absolutely loves her name.  Too bad everyone at school thinks it's too long.  It goes through her struggle of wanting to change her name and then eventually coming back to acceptance that her name really is wonderful.  It sounds funny, but my girls, in particular, have loved this book.  It's a little on the long side for a picture book, but at one point Cami had the entire thing memorized word for word. 



Caps for Sale (by Esphyr Slobodkina):  Don't be shy when reading this classic book.  This book just calls out for calling, stomping, and finger shaking.  


Edward the Emu (by Sheena Knowles):  This silly book has some rhythm to it that makes it fun and easy to memorize.   I'm fairly certain that at any given time, I and a bunch of the kids could recite this book on demand. 

And as a bonus, here's a little glimpse into one of my favorite books when I was a young child....

Friends are Very Special People (by Lillian Tarry)--long since out of print, but still available used on Amazon.  This book is sweet and simple and has the most beautiful illustrations.  I totally and completely adore this book, even as an adult. 

It somehow survived my childhood and is still a treasured book in our home today, although none of my kids have fallen as deeply in love with it as I did. 

That's my handwriting in there....

Now, I'd love to hear what some of your favorites are.  Share, share!