Scrapbook Layouts

I haven't had as much time (or creative energy) as I'd like to scrapbook lately, but here are a few of the layouts I've done in the last while.  This has been over the last couple of months - so don't think I've been just sitting around lately scrapbooking :)

We Give Books

We LOVE reading at our house.  My boys love reading picture books, Hunter loves pretending that he knows the words to Dora the Explorer books (I love hearing him do his own version of sounding out each word - saying it extra slow like we do when I help Gabe sound a word out), they love having me read chapter books to them like Ramona and Beezus, Harry Potter, The Boxcar Children, etc.  I enjoy reading mindless fiction and Cory's a fan of self help and personal improvement books.

Recently we've been working on our summer reading programs from the local libraries.  The boys have earned all kinds of treats and goodies by reading through the summer - ice cream cones, light up magnets, kids meals from various restaurants, book marks, face paint, pizza - it's crazy all the goodies they're earning.  But it's fun to have a goal to read towards too.

I had a friend from our ward send me a link to a really great site that lets you read great books online while you are helping literacy charaties - http://www.wegivebooks.org/dashboard.  My boys are actually clamoring right now to read a few books on the computer with me, so it interests them, makes me happy to see them excited about reading, AND for every book we read this charity will donate a book to the literacy charity of our choice.  Awesome huh?  So check out the site and maybe some of your children's summer reading can be for a good cause!

Family Responsibilities & FHE Lesson

I have the opportunity to teach Relief Society in my ward once a month.  I LOVE this calling!  After years and years in Primary and Young Women (which I also love) I was excited that once we moved to Texas I got called to be in the Relief Society!  I love getting to teach because it gives me an extra opprotunity to learn.  I know that each lesson has something important in it for me to learn specifically and I feel blessed to study and learn these things. 

This month's lesson I was assigned was Lesson #37 on Family Responsibility.  We played a little game (because I think I'm actually still a kid at heart) where we discussed different family responsibilities - the parents, mother, father, and children's responsibilities as members of the family.  I thought it was kind of fun :)

But as I learned more about the distinct roles of family members I was led over and over to the Family:  A Proclamation to the World.  How grateful I am for our inspired church leaders who knew we as church members - and ultimately the WORLD would need to understand the importance and sanctity of family.  Family is such a vital part of society and I am grateful to belong to a church that emphasizes this and teaches us the importance of it.  What a blessing!!

Here are a couple of Family Home Evening (FHE) Lessons that could be taught using the theme of the Family:

• I loved the idea of a YW activity that used a copy of the Proclamation and the YW values.  They had the YW color code their copy of the Proclamation using the YW value colors.  It really helps to reiterate to the YW that the values they learn each week are intertwined in all aspects of our lives.  You can find this activity here.
• Great lesson for a family with kids from the website: www.ayearoffhe.blogspot.com - Week 14:  A Proclamation to the World
• Lesson from Deseret Book about families.

And here are some GREAT resources for other FHE lesson ideas:

• The LDS Church's website - this site has wonderful resources and links to the church's material. Also, some great reminders of why FHE is important.
• A Year of Family Home Evening Lessons - WOW!  This site has AWESOME resources!  Each week there is a new lesson, great printables, great layout - LOVE this site!
• LDS Living - There are literally HUNDREDS of lessons on this website for FHE lessons - almost any topic you can imagine!
• Scriptures for Kids - This resource has simpilfied lessons.  I really liked the ones I found that related to the themes of the Primary each month.  A great way to reiterate what they're learning in Primary already.
• Living Scriptures FHE Lessons - This site has so many great lessons!!!  Most of the lessons have things from the Living Scriptures animated dvds/videos that you can relate - but the lessons have lots of other pertinent information in them.  Plus - a lot of them have exerpts from the videos online that you can use in the lessons!
• Living Scriptures Activity Books - If you have ever purchased dvd's or videos from Living Scriptures you might have also ordered their coloring or activity books. They have books that go along with the stories that the kids are learning to help strengthen the things the children are learning.  Well, they are now available online!  That's right - you can print out your own copies.  Simply create your own account (for free) on their website and you are elligible to download the books.  Then you download them as PDF files and you can print them for your own non-commercial use.  It's awesome!
• The Family Home Evening Spot
• LDS Splash
• Family Home Evening in a Snap
• 100+ Quick and Easy FHE Ideas

(**I have added the game to upload if you are interested.  Click HERE for the game board pieces and click HERE for the questions for the game.)

Happy 4th of July