Winter and Life

Snow play with the neighbor.  The boys were doing front flips into the snowdrift.

Tessa loves to play with other kids.  She is even starting to give up on her imaginary friend because, "He is not real."  So I love it when she plays by herself in creative ways.  (usually during Leisel's nap time)  Sometimes she will get suited up on her own to play outside during a snow or rain storm and create her own world.  

a fun spot -- just her size

We made it to a bowling alley and a U of U men's basketball game with Grandpa Harston.

I made fresh ricotta for lasagna from the kit Rachel sent for Christmas.  So fun! 

I love the shelves Chris made me for Christmas!  No more crooked frames, just great arrangements. :)

Jared's creative brothers hosted a "lightsaber party".  Who knew from some plumbing parts you could create some amazing looking stuff?  The real photos from the party must be on Jared's hard drive.  Maybe when he reads this he'll send then to me, please?

Not warming up yet, but we tried to get out...

Yea for playdates/swaps with cousins!

another Tessa moment during nap time.  I love that she loves Winnie the Pooh.

Free zoo day!

Michael's BYU car did great at the pinewood derby!  He won the judges choice and fastest in his den.

Each month a good reader is recognized in each class at school.  Jordan was in February and Michael in April.

Other cute readers :)

Holiday Blessings

2013 was a year filled with good times, change, challenge, and growth.  In March we loved the Clark family trip to Southern California and Anaheim.  We enjoyed summertime fun with cousins and the first garden in our new Riverton home.  The kids continued their love of learning this fall in a close-by charter school.  Then I miscarried a pregnancy after 10 weeks and Jared started looking for work after things dwindled to a close at his old firm. (To finish that story - The day after Christmas Jared accepted a position at a Salt Lake City firm working with great people!)  The holidays were filled with family togetherness and meaningful lessons.  Throughout all our experiences, we receive the bounty of the Lord's love and blessings.  We look forward to another year of moving forward in worthy goals and treasuring what we have been given. 

Holiday Memories

Here is our traditional after Thanksgiving meal walk

Jordan recited "Thanksgiving Day" by Lydia Maria Child

Pioneer children at Marvin's party--one of our all-time favorite holiday traditions

The tree behind Nessa was amazing!  It was huge and the real-deal pioneer-type juniper.  I haven't heard the story yet how the Hulls found it or how they got it inside.    

We were recovering from our month of sickness in November and I didn't have it together enough to get photos.  But Susie saved me and shared hers.  So I get to steal some of her cute kids to post also! 

no tears this year for meeting Santa!

Now for Christmas Eve/afternoon at the Clarks.  

It was a nice and simple Christmas, but the kids were happy with lots of family time and some fun and thoughtful gifts too.

Jared's gift from his brother was THE gift of the day.  Derek handcrafted a tri-dimentional chess set, playing pieces and all. (for trekkie fans only)

BINGO with prizes of course..

and Rummy

Then Christmas dinner with some Harston cousins

the princesses decorating sugar cookies

Cookie decorating from Grandma Clark...homemmmade gingerbread boys and girls :)

Renee - 9 months pregnant - got the family out for swimming

The New Year's Eve Bash at the church

And visits to Grandmother who lives just down the street

Epic Post for our Epic Adventure 2013/2014

We are having a themed learning experience this year in our family.  It is based on the hymn "Behold a Royal Army" and the educational model by Karen Kindrick Cox.
 


I had been hearing about epic adventures as part of family learning throughout the past year.  I got really excited about the topic "A Royal Army" one Sunday in church and I started developing a plan.
A good friend and her family jumped in to participate with us and created some wonderful synergy. 
Along the way I had evidence of the Lord's hand helping us move forward.  I connected with my cousin in California who has used Epic Adventures with her family for the last six years.  I also met a new friend who lives down the street and realized that she is Karen's daughter who continues to teach her family through Epic Adventures.

We are half-way through our experience now and we are already looking forward to continuing each year.  Here are some tidbits and photos from our adventure.

One of the planning sessions with Candy and I took place at Thanksgiving Point Gardens.  The kids had fun exploring and Candy and I took a central station at "The Secret Garden."  It was a rainy day, but so beautiful!  

I'm really grateful to the Maxfields for sharing the Adventure with us.  Candy has great ideas and encouragement every time I need it.

 

Fisher and the boys

We started our adventure with a "brain week," a lesson at a neat park on how our brains work and how learning takes place.

Then the big day arrived and the kids were issued their assignment or call to serve in the Royal Army. 

 

 

After eating our "Army chow" we went to meet the Maxfields for the swearing-in ceremony.

 

Then boot camp...
 
 

a fuzzy picture of Jordan in the armor of God
 

the Armor of God picture that Tessa likes

Our visit to the Provo Mission office with a tour from the AP during the missionary month


We were really lucky to hear from my parents about their trip to the Mediterranian Region "in the footsteps of Paul." 

We sample fig cakes and goat cheese and various candies. 

The next month the "spirit" of Christopher Columbus came to visit. (since our costume department was a little bit lacking)  The kids ate pizza from Genoa, Italy where Columbus was born while learning about his mission to find the new world. 

apple sailboat snacks :)

During our service month, Tessa dressed as Mother Teresa and showed the belongings and diet of her followers.  The boys dressed up to do some role plays too.

We learned about the Church's humanitarian efforts at the exhibit on Temple Square and did our own service too. 

Jordan is earnestly reading the Book of Mormon this year to prepare for his coming baptism.  It is fun to see him adopt the stories as his own and remember more and more facts and names now. 

December was our month to learn more about Christ as our commander.  We read some wonderful historical novels set at the time of Christ.  For family scripture time we followed the "25 days of Christ" website with an ornament for the tree and a video from the Church bible videos each night. 
We didn't know how it would be "Epic," but it has been an enormous blessing to have some purposeful family learning experiences together.