Stake Activities

Tyler has gone a few times to play on our Ward's Young Men basketball team.  

 Later that evening Warren, Graig and Tyler attended a Stake Youth Activity to help kick off the new theme for the youth for the new year.  They split the youth into groups and each group acted out a story from the scriptures.  Because he is on the youth council, Graig was in charge of writing a script for one of the groups.  The Scripture story he choose was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel chapter 3.

 Tyler was in a group that acted out the story of Mary and Martha.  He was Martha.

Cafe Rio Party

We love to make home made Cafe Rio around here but our recipe makes a lot so I had Graig invite some of his teenage friends over for dinner on Friday night.  Usually I just make the sweet pork and the cilantro salad dressing but my friend Patrice told me you can get the recipe for the lime rice and black beans off the internet so we tried those too.  The result:  Delicious.  They ate until they were full and we still have lots of leftovers.

 Graig's friend Brandon told me the only time he gets a good meal is at my house and his Aunt Patrice's house.  Yes, he will be invited over again.

Around the table clockwise from Graigry is Brandon, Gage, Melanie (who by the way had her own friend over but preferred to hang out with the 16 year old boys), Jack, Bronwyn, and Andrea. 

After dinner Graig and his friends played games and watched Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.

The Jordan World Circus

Warren took Tyler and Melanie to see the circus last night.  Neither of them had ever been to a circus and they had a terrific time.  Tyler's only complaint was that it was a three ring circus and so he felt like he couldn't keep up with everything going on.

 They were surprised this was the one and only clown in the circus.

 Watching the elephants perform was their favorite act.

  The elephants were giving rides before the show.

 This daredevil was one of their favorite acts.

 The loved watching the motorcycles drive in circles around this metal ball.  They had four motorcycles going at one time!

Melanie was hoping they would have tigers (and they didn't) but they did like the bears that performed.

Court of Honour

At the beginning of 2010 Tyler hadn't earned one merit badge yet.  He was only 11 but he had started several and just not ever gotten to the end of one yet.  So, I challenged him to earn 12 merit badges, about one a month, in 2010.  At this court of honour he was awarded merit badges numbers 11 and 12 (fingerprinting and personal fitness) for last year and his first badge for 2011 (rock climbing).  Tyler had to overcome his fear of heights to earn the rock climbing merit badge but once he did his scoutmaster said he was climbing up and down the walls of the climbing gym like spider man.  

The goal is the same for 2011 - 12 merit badges (one down, eleven to go)

 Tyler with his scoutmaster, Dave Terry

I came right home and got caught up on sewing his badges on his sash.

 Dave Terry, Tyler, Clay, and bro. Caprio

Brother Terry is announcing that Tyler has been asked to serve their troupe as the patrol leader.

Graigry also earned his rock climbing merit badge. Warren is his scout leader. 

Graig led the flag ceremony at the court of honour.

Book Report

Melanie's school teacher asked them to make a diorama of a scene from the book they chose to do 

a report on.  Melanie choose the book Candy Shoppe War (which she loved reading).

She worked on this project almost every day over Christmas Break and put on the finishing touches this morning.  She loves projects like this.

Nate, Trevor, Pigeon, and Summer talking with Mrs. White in her magic candy shoppe. 

 I love that girl!

 Melanie loves detail work...

Here is her report on the book:

Nate moved into his new neighborhood.  He had moved into Trevor, Pigeon, and Summer’s neighborhood.  They were in a club.  To get in he had to face the biggest bullies in the school.

        On the way home from school the club members encountered Sweet Tooth Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe.  There they found Mrs. White.  Mrs. White “accidentally” mentioned her magic candy. Afterward they used the candy to do things for Mrs. White.

        They encounter a man who says he is Nate, from the future.  Nate refused to believe him.  The man said it is not right to rob graves.  Very soon after, Mrs. White asks them to rob a grave.  The club was reluctant but gave in. 

They later were assigned to erase the mind of the nice ice cream man.  They almost did but this time they didn’t give in to Mrs. White.  Summer and Pigeon quit helping Mrs. White.  Nate and Trevor stayed to get information and candy.  They found that the source of the rebellion was the fountain of youth.  Mrs. White wanted it to stay young.  Every magician wanted it.

Mrs. White kicked Nate and Trevor out and the bullies were hired in their place.

Three words about the ending are:  1. revenge, 2. girl, 3. time.

Happy reading!

Tyler gets inducted into the National Junior Honor Society

We our proud of Tyler for getting invited to join the National Junior Honor Society at his middle school.  It means he is ranked in the top 10% of his class and committed to providing community service.  To continue his membership he has to keep his GPA at 3.95 or higher.  He didn't actually get to attend the ceremony (He was finishing the rock climbing Merit Badge with the Scouts.) but I wanted some pictures anyway...

  The Honor Society pin is the one on the right.  It looks like a torch.

Jessica's First Article in Print

We are so proud.

This should be the first of many article by Jessica in the Daily Universe this semester.

Her class requires that she write two articles a week.

Model Cars

For Christmas this year, Warren got the boys model cars to put together.  Graig put his together a few weeks ago and helped Tyler with his on this Sunday afternoon.  

Working at Graig's desk.  This kept them busy for hours. 

 Graig's car.

Tyler's car.

Henrie Family Dinner at Sizzler

The Henries used Brandy's family being in town as an excuse to 

get together for dinner on Friday night at Sizzler.

Warren, Jessica, Devin, Nancy, Nathan, Josh, Doran, Katie, Brian, Brenda, Braxton, Crew, Bryan, Brandy, Kelson, Renee, Wendell, Karen

Crew, Brandy, Brian, Braxton

Sunday Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house

About once a month we get together with the Atkissons and have dinner together at my Mom and Dad's house.  My parents cook the meat and another dish and Connie and I bring salads, veggies, and dessert.  I am usually in charge of jello and potatoes.  We celebrate any birthdays that month.

Last Sunday we got together to celebrate Kayla and Warren's birthdays.  

My Dad cooked his famous (in our family) ribs and we had a very yummy dinner.

We lay the food out buffet style across the counter and eat on paper plates. 

The kids are usually the first ones through the line. 

 Emily, Melanie and Ashlyn sit at the bar.

While the rest of the kids sit at the table.

Jessica, Kara, Graigry, Kayla, Tyler (Megan is probably next to Tyler)

The adult sit in the dining room.

After dinner Melanie, Emily, and Ashlyn usually play barbies or make up a play while the bigger kids go downstairs to play ping pong or another game.  We adults sit in the dining room and talk.

Starting the New Year with a two car garage

I get a little grumpy when the clutter in the garage starts to make it hard to fit the van inside so we started off New Year's Day with what I thought was the goal to put the bikes up and de-clutter enough to have a one car garage.  Once we got going, however, we filled both garbage cans, picked things up off the floor and put them on shelves, and had a two car garage again!

 Jessica was a real trooper.  She worked hard

.

Graig also worked hard.  He did most of the lifting (because Warren's shoulder is still injured).

The picture proof... both cars are in the garage at the same time!

Graig is adding windshield wiper fluid to the car.

Tyler and Melanie helped too.

We ended the day by visiting the Atkissons.  Warren and Graig helped David with a project at their house and then we played games together.

What a great New Year's Day!