Junior Achievement

So our school PTA sponsors the Junior Achievement program.  It's a business oriented program that promotes financial, economic, and business education.  Junior Achievement creates a whole curriculum for each grade level and then tries to get businesses to allow their employees to come in and teach the kids 5 lessons.  The purpose is to introduce kids to business principles and give them contact with members of the business community.  You don't have to have a specific business partnering with Junior Achievement and as is the case with our school.  We just basically ask for parent volunteers to come and teach.

I haven't taught Junior Achievement before because there have always been other parents who volunteered, but not this year.  I must have received about 8 emails asking for someone to volunteer for Junior Achievement in Paige's class.  I even got a personal email asking me specifically to do it.  I was pretty hesitant because you teach 1 lesson a week for 5 weeks and basically the timing was going to be May aka "the end of the school year" aka "a crazy busy time."  

Of course, I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't finally relent and agree to do it.  I'm not lying when I tell you I finally responded to an email from Paige's teacher agreeing to teach Junior Achievement with two emoji's --- 

As expected it wasn't easy trying to squeeze the lessons in, especially as I was out of town for 10 days in May.  Fortunately, the lesson plans and materials from Junior Achievement were awesome.  We learned about city planning, banking and then created our own businesses---fun stuff!  Paige's class was great too.  It was fun to come in and teach Paige and her friends.

Not sure if I will do it again next year, but I am definitely not opposed to it.  I should also mention that I didn't stand for re-election to our school PTA board for the upcoming year.  Rather than have a year-long constant commitment, I can now pick and choose what to do when it is convenient for me.  I just have too much on my plate especially with the Young Women at church.  Also, if I am going to do some PTA stuff, I'd like to start transitioning to the high school parent and booster groups.   

We need some Vitamin D and Sunshine!

As a part of Ashley's treatment for her broken foot, her vitamin D was tested and her levels were extremely low.  Considering her age and the horribly long winter we had it was a legitimate possibility. So the treatment is more sunshine and huge weekly doses of vitamin D supplements.  Hopefully that will be enough to get her levels back to normal.

The weather hasn't exactly been warm and full of sunshine but I have been making the girls go outside whenever possible!

Oliver!

Well, we have survived our first serious theater production.  Both girls made this year's high school musical and boy, oh, boy did it take over our lives for a while.  In the final two weeks of tech and dress rehearsal it was the play, the play, the play.  Ashley's rehearsals ran from right after school until 7 or 8 in the evening.  Often, I would have to pack her lunch and dinner; pretty long days for a girl who starts seminary at 5:45 am.  Paige also had to be at daily rehearsals although her rehearsal time was shorter.  I pretty much was driving to and from the school constantly, picking up and dropping off.  A couple times I even had to check Paige out of her school early, so she could get to the high school rehearsals on time.

I also became an expert at this hairstyle--a tucked French Braid, which is no easy task consider how thick my girls' hair is!  I had to do this for both my girls, plus Paige's friend Riley everyday for over a week.  Between all the dress rehearsals and actual performances, I was pretty fast by the end!

Anyway, we all survived and the girls loved it.  The production was also very good.  There were 4 performances.  I went to three and was really impressed by how good they were.  And of course, I love my darling girls.  Ashley particularly enjoyed being part of the cast, so she's hoping there will be a few more high school theater productions in her future.  In fact, she's decided to do community theater this summer, has already auditioned, and been cast in "Shrek! The Musical."

But back to Oliver!  Here are some pictures from backstage and on-stage dress rehearsal:

Paige in the dressing room, ready for rehearsal

Two little orphans

The big/high school orphans

some of the little orphans, including Paige, and her friends
Megan and Riley

The orphan scene (Ashley's in the front on the left)

The thieves scene (Ashley is sitting on the ground on the right, wearing
a red shirt and white hat)

My orphan, Paige, in line to get some gruel

the thieves

My orphans - the only picture of them together!

Easter

We had a simple, peaceful Easter Sunday.  A year ago last Easter was the beginning of Dave's battle with depression.  It's been a long year and the battle continues but overall Dave is doing better which is a great blessing.  I am very grateful for the promises of the atonement-- promises that I know my mortal mind can barely comprehend.  Here are some pictures from our day:

The "girls"

Dave being thrilled to pose for an Easter picture

Here are the Easter baskets:

Here are some Easter hugs:

 Here is our yummy Easter Dinner, made by me:

I also made some delicious cinnamon and orange rolls!  I took these orange rolls to my YW Laurels class

Wolf's Crossing Science Fair

After last year's inaugural success, our elementary school held a science fair again this year.  Last year I  organized the science fair from the ground up.  This year, I turned it over to a committee and just assisted.  It was a lot less work which is always a good thing.  Once again, the fair was a big success.

Paige entered a project called "Cloud in a Bottle".  It's basically a project that demonstrates how pressure and temperature affect cloud development.  She actually had to do the project as a class assignment in December.  Wisely, we saved our materials and used it for the school science fair.

She did a great job and was so cute answering the judges questions.  Good job Paige!!

Making her presentation board

Judging

Overheard

Conversation overheard between Paige and her friend Riley--

Paige: wouldn't it be nice if everyone in the world knew they were brothers and sisters, maybe the world would be more peaceful.

Riley: ya and they wouldn't shoot guns at each other

Paige: I can't believe Taylor Swift won't talk to me, I'm her sister.

Riley: I know, Barack Obama won't talk to me and he's my brother

Conference Weekend

It that time of year again…General Conference.  Here are some pictures:

The Saturday food spread

We had our friends the Griffins over again and we worked
on a puzzle that was pretty hard

We also had our friends the Bodily's over on Sunday 

We all contributed to Sunday dinner which included
ribs and Portillos chocolate cake

the kiddos watching conference

It was a good weekend.  I have to admit that on Sunday our attention can be a little spotty, but that's what DVR is for, right?!

Oh and usually, we are able to finish the puzzle but this year no such luck.  I think Dave finally finished it like a month after conference