Pack Meeting January 9th

Conner and James doing a magic trick at Pack meeting

Getting his belt loops

Spelling Bee

Conner won the spelling bee for his classroom so he got to compete in the school spelling against other students.  At first I thought it was only against third graders but it was actually against 3rd, 4th, 5th graders! Waiting for the spelling bee to start. He got all of his words from the third grade list that he was asked correct but missed two words, I think they were from the 4th and 5th grade words' list.

He did a great job.   He did not win the overall competition but he did awesome and I am so proud of him. With his certificate.

Junior Master Model Builder Ultimate Build Off Competition

In December when we went to Legoland Parker entered the competition for  the Junior Master Model Builder for the month of December.  We got a phone call from a lady named Audriene Wolfgramm. She told me that Parker had won the competition.  What is interesting is that I know quite a few Wolfgramms in the church and so I asked her if she was related and yes she was. She is a cousin to a good friend of mine.  She is a member of the church and she is in my stake.  All of the Wolfgramms are related to President Wolfgramm, Alison's mission President.

Parker looking at all the winners' creations for the year and also looking at who he was competing against.

All the winning creations for 2012

Parker's winning creation, the Gangnam style guy on display 

Just before the competition.  I wonder what he was thinking.

Getting ready at his table

Concentrating

The participants looking for pieces

The creation

The winner

The winners, the categories were, 9 year and younger, 10 to 15 years old and 16 and older

Parker was so happy!

His creation, Around the world in 80 days

All the creations

The trophies and prizes. He got 4 annual passes to the park and water park with free parking and  Legoland products.

One of the prizes was a tour of the Model Shop with a Master Model Builder. This is where they keep all of the pieces for the park. They have tons of Lego pieces. No one is allowed in this shop so it was a treat for the kids to go inside.

Legoland

Having some building fun! I like the look on his face, he is concentrating.

Parker building but I am sure he was thinking about his upcoming competition.

Dad having some fun!

Conner's creation

Parker's creation

Even I built something

Three Kings day!

Today was Three Kings day.  Conner got the grass and water for the camels all ready last night.  I love this tradition.  It is a very simple thing we do every year.  We only give one little gift. This year Conner wanted a book and Parker cash.  Conner got a Big Nate book and Parker $10.00. That was it!! But I love that they are learning about a tradition that I celebrated when I was a kid.

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it is 2013!!  It seems that the year I was born, 1965, is becoming so long ago!!  It is just weird how quickly the years are passing.  Well with a new year it seems we have a new beginning.  I was reading a talk from President Uchdorf that was in the Ensign in July 2012 called "Always in the middle".

He said in his talk:

 

"By many world calendars, July marks the middle of the year.  While the beginnings and endings of things are celebrated and remembered, the middle of things often goes unnoticed. 

Beginnings are times for making resolutions, for creating plans, for bursts of energy. Endings are times for winding down and may involve feelings of completion or loss. But with the proper outlook, considering ourselves 'as in' the middle of things can help us not only to understand life a little better but also to live it a little more meaningfully.

When we look at where we are against the backdrop of eternity-when we realize that our spirit has existed for time beyond our capacity to measure and, because of the perfect sacrifice and Atonement of Jesus Christ, that our soul will exist for an eternity to come-we can recognize that we are truly in the middle.

Whatever our age, whatever our location, when things occur in our lives, we are always in the middle. What's more, we will forever be in the middle.

Yes, there will be moments of beginnings and moments of endings throughout our lives, but these are only markers along the way of the great middle of our eternal lives.

Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final.  For no matter where we are or what our circumstances, an eternity of beginnings and an eternity of endings stretch out before us.

We are always in the middle."

This is only part of his talk. I love the ending of it; The game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final.  So in thinking that the day I was born seems so long ago, but in actuality it isn't, it is only the middle of my life because I existed before and will exist forever.  I really never thought of it that way and that we will 'forever be in the middle', had not think of that either. So, this new year 2013, this new beginning, is just a marker along the way in my life. I hope that I can do better this year.  So many things that I need to improve as a person, so many things that I want to do better. My game is never over and my hope is never lost and I am not going to be defeated, so I have a lot of work to do.  I have an eternity to live and that is a long time.

Conner's thank you letter to us (mom and dad)

In school before the Christmas break, Conner had to write a thank you letter to us:

Conner's letter to us
Dear Parents,
Thanks for my toys! Thanks for taking care of me! Thanks for everything I have! Thank you for being my parents! You are very nice parents! You are awesome! I like my siblings, too! Thank you for being nice to me! Thank you for giving me books to read! You are the best parents in the world! (in my opinion)!
Conner
Happy Holidays!!