Ramping up on the piano

Family Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 12
Weekly Family Scripture Memorization: 1 Timothy 2: 1-2

Today I had to go into "town" with Jared for a doctor's appointment. We were gone for the morning but Alex was home with the kids. So here are some of the things that I know that we learned today, I don't know everything since I was gone for the morning.

Things are going VERY, well for us with our Leadership Education. We could not be more happy. We'll ,if they would learn to keep their hands to themselves that would really make the world go round. haha

Caleb: Played Raz-kids. His reading fluency is really improving. This would not be my first choice (computer game), but Caleb has had a hard time connecting with other learning methods and he is really doing well with this one. He worked on several core things today!

Luke: Read his scriptures, practiced the piano, had piano lessons, worked on his 3's times tables, worked on his story, and read for almost two hours in The Hardy Boys #1. (He's so funny because he can't say jalopy, which is in the story, he keeps asking me and he keeps getting it wrong). Played ping-pong and Wii sports. He prepared the Family Home Evening lesson. Luke has the stewardship of lunch. He's doing well it, but still needs a lot of help.

Jared: Helped me with grocery shopping, went to the library with me, practiced the piano, went to piano lessons, did a math assignment, did a multiplication drill sheet, did 5 pages of Explode the Code, read for well over an hour in Peter and the Starcatchers #2 (he read most of that out loud to me), and played Wii sports. We also reviewed several vocabulary words. His core behavior was very good today. He had some redo's in some things (we made him retake his shower when it was discovered he had not used soap, for example).

Olivia: Read over 2/3 of the Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund for her scholar class, read her scriptures, wrote her bill for her "Day on the Hill", wrote half of her compass, read a poem by Walt Witman, practiced the piano, and had piano lessons. She also worked on her investments on Lending Club. She gave an oral report to Alex over dinner. Her stewardship is breakfast. She has done very well with this over the past several weeks. Tonight she prepared the sourdough starter for pancakes tomorrow. When it comes to cooking Olivia needs no help and learns things on her own. Yesterday she made a homemade carrot cake, which she's made multiple times before. Later she discovered that we were out of powdered sugar. I told her that she could make powdered sugar, but I didn't know how, so she googled making powdered sugar with floor and found a recipe. She made it and it turned out great. Today she made homemade pudding, with out a recipe, that she made up. It turned out great. Sometimes I wonder were she came from.

Deanna: Wrote in my journal, read scriptures, finished The Ranger's Apprentice, practiced the piano, played ping pong, and went to my piano lessons (she's working me!).

Alex: Read scriptures, reading a lot in the church handbooks, went to work, had lots of business meetings, played ping pong, and worked on our investments (I guess he does this everyday though).

Family Home Evening:
Songs: The Valiant Song and I Know the Savior Lives
Testimonies: Alex, Deanna, Olivia, Jared, Luke and Caleb today all bore their's
Strength of Youth: Serving Others
The Proclamation to the World: 8th paragraph and discussion on the degeneration of the family
Article of Faith: 12th
Weekly Scripture Memorization: 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Character Rule: We restarted 21 Rules of this House, Rule #1-Obey the Lord
Lesson: (Luke) He based his lesson on this page off of the church website. We had a great lesson on self-reliance and what it was. We also discussed several scripture stories (Lehi & his family, Noah & the Ark, Joseph in Egypt, Lachoneus & the Gadianton Robbers) of those who were or were not self-reliant.
Activity: We played a new math game I bought this weekend. I think it was called Real World Math: Unexpected Events. They had to keep a ledger though out the game of the money they made and spent. This required reading cards, writing in the ledger and doing math to keep your statement current. You can't beat a game that covers so many subjects! The kids really liked it and did well. I was surprised at how much they all caught. Especially at Caleb's ability to figure things out.
Treats: Homemade pudding and carrot cake, thank you Olivia.