Teach Them Young

I have learned that service is one of the highest and noblest ways to show love to God and to our fellow man.  It's become a major tenet of my life.  I find peace in serving even when things feel crazy, hectic, and overscheduled.  It also shows me how great my kids and husband are.

And even though it's usually me overextending myself, my husband and kids will step in 100 out of 100 times to help me.  So whether you teach your kids to serve their own family members, their friends, their community, schools, or church, teach them to serve.

The dividends are countless.

Fall Fest and Fall Dance

 

So our middle school is grades 5-8, a huge spread at that age but they really do keep them pretty separate from one another.  Case in point in the fall the 5th and 6th graders have a Fall Fest, where they play games, eat junk food and win prizes.  The 7th and 8th graders have a school dance where they "dance", eat junk food and take group pictures at the photo booth.  I've helped with the fall fest, never the dance.

This year I did both.  It was fine.  A lot of line/group dances, not so much the middle school shuffle of awkward slow songs.  I'm okay with that.  Wyatt ran around playing games against his friends and despite his small size he's not afraid of a little trash talk and competition.  I love this boy!



And because my friends keep asking me, where I've been and why I'm not even posting on facebook that much, here's a summary of my life this past month or two not already covered by pictures and stories here:

Foster Care and Parent Visits
Splits with the Sister Missionaries
Finishing the Cross Country Season and Banquet
Farm Show Madness and Wrap Up Banquet
Setting Up the Non Existent Book Fair
Brother and His Family For Dinner
Dentist Appointments
Subbing for a Volleyball League
PTO Meetings
Helping at the Nursing Home
Visiting Teaching
Omega Field Trip (Oh, I have pics - I should post about that)
Computer Crash and Restoration
Birthday Parties
Being Released and Getting a New Calling at Church
Fundraising Events (WCM Auction, Extraordinary Give, Manheim Car Show, etc...)
Choir
Hosting Class Parties at Halloween (Also post worthy)
Meals for Friends
Seeing Newsies in Philly
Halloween Parties
Writing Competitions (for the kids)
Book Clubs
Play Dates
Temple Trips
Helping at the Middle School (clothing drive, fall fest, book fair)
Parent/Teacher Conferences and Report Cards
Board Meetings
Classroom Help
Planning Vacations (couple - January, family - July)
Hosting Baby Showers (forthcoming)
Feeding the Masses (seriously, always extras)
Getting the Boys Ready for New Placement, Packing
Prepping for Thanksgiving Trip to Texas
and a whole lot of other stuff.

And don't get me wrong, I choose to do it, I love to do it, I think it is important, valuable and worthy of my time.  So don't think this is me complaining.  But when you ask, half the time I can't remember and the other half it'd take too long to tell you so I don't even bother.  But here's the record, just in case you really care.  But I love and miss my friends too.  So call anytime, I'm ready to play too!

A girl may tell herself that she is going to bed early tonight.  But said girl will still find herself working hard at 11:30, finishing stuff for a Cub Scout Camp this weekend, she may find herself preparing for the last few events for Women's Club of Manheim, Manheim's Rose Festival Weekend on June 9th - the Mannheim Market and Volksfest specifically, and she may find herself deeply emerged in PTO stuff, with too many tasks to even begin to name.

All I can say, is I appreciated teachers before, but whew....you people rock a crazy busy schedule at the end of a school year.  Thanks teachers and I need some sleep.  So Peace Out for tonight.  Now to pack lunches for tomorrow and clean up the house.  Oh I love single parenting - In the words of my neighbor's hubby tonight, "It seems like you could use a live in husband."  Yeah, you think.

Kick Off To Christmas

So the first weeks of December were crazy busy.
Our PTO does a Holiday Craft - each student makes a gift to give to someone.

Women's Club of Manheim assembled cookies, had a cookie auction, and a Holiday Tour of Homes.

Bella's dance studio did multiple Saturday preformances at retirement centers and the town square.

We went to the Manheim tree lighting with friends and their kids.

We took the kids to the Washington DC Temple grounds to see the lights, a Bell Choir, and enjoy the Christmas Kickoff.

I'm totally entrenched in the Christmas Spirit.  What about you?

What do you do to get ready for Christmas?

Goal Not Needed

I call myself the Volunteer Whore.  Well I came up with the title for myself with the help of a friend and current live-in honorary family member late last night as I made sugar cookies to be used in today's school party.  As she's lived with me she mentioned that this was what she saw... 

• Monday I made dinner for a neighbor's family while she was in the hospital having surgery. 
• Tuesday I purchased, prepared, and delivered Easter dinner to 25 needing families in the Manheim area.  I chaired this event on behalf of Women's Club of Manheim. 
• Wednesday I helped lead a somewhat last minute choir rehearsal for women as part of my church service, I watched the neighbor's kids afters school, and played taxi driver later in the evening.  I planned, baked, bought, and orchestrated a class party for 23 little 1st graders for Spring/Earth Day as Wyatt's room mom. 
• Today I will spend the better part of the day running the party I planned and watching more kids. 

I realized I have service opportunities planned for pretty much everyday for the next two years as recently I became President Elect for both our elementary school's PTO and Women's Club of Manheim as well as serving in several voluntary capacities within my church.

Travis was the inspiration for me.  When we were dating I was often pleasantly surprised and occasionally annoyed when he would stop for every broken down car we passed, volunteer to help anyone with anything, and often sacrifice his personal interests in the pursuit of other's.  It was those acts of kindness though that made me realize this was the man I would convince to marry me.  His kindness and ability to help others superseded my highest expectations and in the following years I have tried to follow his example. 

This year one of my New Year's Resolutions was to serve 260 days this year.  That is everyday M-F all year long or five days a week.  But as I have easily plowed through this goal I realized that service has become a part of my life already.  I find real happiness when doing it and that is motivation you can't fake.  And for bonus snaps I can't help but think of this scripture:   Mosiah 2:17  "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

So you may see me running around like a crazy person, a bit frazzled around the edges, treading on the very slippery slope of insanity, but know this I am one happy girl.