Thanksgiving Program

Thanksgiving Program 2010

(Every year we have a Thanksgiving Program either before or after our big feast. Each year it's different. We've done plays, skits, talent shows and sing alongs. I felt like doing something more serious this year, and so wrote a more spirtiually-minded program for this year's celebration)

Mom opens the program with singing, “O, America”

Scott D.: In the Book of Mormon, we learn over and over again that when the people remember the great things the Lord has done for their fathers, they are more likely to be righteous. When they forget the Blessings and miracles of God, they tend to become more wicked. The difference between the two is whether people choose to be GRATEFUL or to be PRIDEFUL.

Laura: In Ether 6:30 it says: “And it came to pass that Orihah did walk humbly before the Lord, and did REMEMBER how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers.”

Christopher: Alma 36:2 “And now, O my Son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, therefore I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me: for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials and their troubles, and their afflictions and shall be lifted up at the last day.”

Erika: During the Thanksgiving Season, we remember that 240 years ago, our people in America were in Bondage to the King of England, and that God did deliver them from a state of Bondage to a state of Liberty.

Joseph: The Colonists in America were not the only ones delivered from bondage. Many different people from nations all over Europe were guided by Jehovah to the Promised Land. They escaped Tyranny, Poverty, and Religious Persecution.

Jeff Sings “Guide Us O Thou Great Jehovah” A capella.

Valery: Today we want to celebrate “How Great things” the Lord has done for our Fathers.

Dorathy.: We learn from 1 Nephi 13:19 that it is God who delivered the American Colonists from the Tyranny of the Kings of Europe. “And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.”

Lydia: One of the central promises to us in the Book of Mormon, is that “If ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land.”

Denise: 1 Nephi 17:36-37 “Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it. And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous in to precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.”

Steven: We can plainly see from History that the hand of Providence preserved our country. We won the last battle of the Revolutionary war because of a great storm which caused a wind on the ocean that prevented the British warships from being able to land.

Dorathy sings “NO MORE KINGS”

Paul: The Declaration of Independence states, “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

Linda D.: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Courtney: Tells a story of when George Washington’s life was miraculously saved

Jared: Great men and Great leaders helped save us from Tyranny. Our founding fathers loved freedom, and they loved God. They knew that our “Unalienable Rights” and privileges were a gift that came from the Supreme Being.”

Dotson kids sing “GEORGE WASHINGTON”

Janalyn: One of the greatest events in the history of mankind is the Constitution of the United States of America. The fact that so many men from different backgrounds and beliefs could unite together to form an inspired document that has provided prosperity and security for over 200 years is nothing short of miraculous.

All the kids together sing “The Preamble” song, from the Constitution.

Spencer and Angel hold flags while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jeff: 2^nd Nephi 1:7 “Wherefore, this land consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.”

Scott C.: Alma 9:22-23 “Yea, and after having been delivered …by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all manner of things—“

John: “Today once more, bondage threatens us. Signs of stormy weather are all around us. The corrosive effect of pride, selfishness, and indulgence surround us. In uncertain times, we turn to our God who is still a God of Liberty. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and is still a God of Miracles. As we trust in him and keep his commandments, we know he will fight our battles, and he will support us in our endeavor to preserve our freedoms.

Closing Song, we all sing My Country Tis of Thee, all 4 verses, led by Linda B.

We go around the room and share an experience in our own family or in our ancestor’s where the Lord has done something Great in preserving us.

(all these picture come from my sister-in-law who is a very talented photographer! I had accidentally left my camera at home!)

Julianna insisted on drinking her cider with a spoon!

Coming Home to a MESS!

Today I had a primary meeting. I usually have them in the morning when Scott is home to watch the kids. But we had to meet tonight because some of my presidency was leaving to go out of town for the Holiday.

My new goal was to have meetings be 1 hour instead of 2 hours. We didn't quite make it! But 1.8 hours is better than 2 right? We managed to shave off 20 minutes.

As I was getting my shoes on to leave and go back home, I got a frantic call from Dorathy. She said that Julie had gotten into some ink and that it was EVERYWHERE. As soon as I got off the phone with her, Christopher called me to say that Julie had spread a think pasty black ink all over the rug, all over the chairs, couch, and floor. She had gotten it all over the dog, and all over herself. (I didn't take any pictures: I was too upset, and anxious to be sure it wasn't a poisonous substance that I had to run her to the hospital for since it was in her eyes, and she had eaten some of it as well!!!)

I am very grateful that my friend Ann came in with me, because it was very overwhelming to see such a mess. Ann took over helping clean up and helping the older kids get ready for bed, so I could get Julianna in the bath!

Julianna was covered with it. Her face was literally black. All you could see were two blue eyes peeping out. I tried to wash it off of her, but it wouldn't budge....only smear. It felt waxy and super thick, so I thought it might be costume makeup. I got out my Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup remover, and sure enough, it dissolved when it came into contact with that! It was the only thing that seemed to make any headway. She even had it in her hair...I was worried I would have a raven haired Julie! Her cute clothes are now ruined, and she had it over almost her entire body.

Julianna has very sensitive skin, and her face had broken out in a really bad Ezcema-like rash. So after I washed it all off of her, I got her lathered up in some herbal coconut oil based cream. Hopefully she'll be better in the morning and not all broken out into hives. The only black left is in the creases of her hands. Her nails are all black, and one of my area rugs is ruined. The dog is still leaving greasy black marks wherever she rubs her back. I'll take care of that tomorrow. :(

I was upset with Christopher for not watching his little sister the way he knows he is suppose to. He was watching a movie that HE wanted instead of one that Julie enjoys, so she went off and got into mischief. My school supplies closet was left unlocked, and she'd been digging in it for something to entertain herself with. She got into more she bargained for, and it looks like she was trying to rub it off herself, and that's how it got spread so badly.

As a natural consequence, Christopher will help clean up all the mess, get some extra chores, be grounded from TV, Computer, and Screen time for a week or two, and be forbidden to babysit for a while until he can prove himself reliable and responsible to be thinking about his sisters instead of only himself.

I am grateful for this learning experience. It is teaching Christopher the importance of watching his little sisters instead of assuming they'll be fine. And it's teaching me to give SPECIFIC instructions and expectations to my son when I leave instead of just assuming that because he's done something 50 times well, that he'll know what to do. It's also important for me to take breaks to check up on my kids when I'm gone...even when it's for something as important and short as a presidency meeting.

I wish we could have met at my house, but I don't have any private room where I can shut the doors and have peace and quiet for us to plan. If we'd been here, the kids would have been all over us. I just wouldn't have been able to concentrate. I'll need to go back to hiring babysitters for a while, I guess. The problem is, that most of the available babysitters are Christopher's age, but it is not appropriate to have a girl here close to his age babysitting. That makes it hard to find someone!!!

I am glad this was over something minor like black face paint, and not over anything irreversible, deadly, or poisonous. Christopher is very upset with himself. He's been storming around the house crying and calling out in despair, "How could I have been so STUPID? I can't believe I DID THAT!"

He's beating himself up so much about it, that it's hard for me to be still upset. Everything's okay now, I just need to buy a new rug and scrub som spots on the floor. Tonight he was crying, "I wish TV had never been invented!" Because with his ADHD-type personality, it is very hard for him to focus on more than one thing at a time. He is very distractable, and when any screen is on he tends to get sucked into it while the rest of the world fades away. I usually LET them watch TV when I leave home, because I figure it helps keep them safe to be all entertained in one room. But that doesn't work if the toddler is bored, and the teenager isn't "home" inside his head!

AAARRRGHHH! I hate coming home to a mess!!!

But thank you Lord, Oh thank you for blessing me that all my kids were safe and well!

The importance of FOOD

My kids, especially Dorathy, have a love affair with food. Dorathy spends long hours studying cookbooks and food presentation. She said to me last night, "Mom, I LOVE food...I mean I REALLY love it!" Here are some of her play-doh creations representing food. She wants to own a bakery.

So it's been a bit of a hard change with me altering my personal eating habits and ways of feeding the family. We've been through a lot in my house in the food department. Overall, my kids have been really good sports about it all! Every once and a while, though, they ask me when will I ever bake cookies and goodies again???

Last week I was trying to make a healthy ice cream in my Vitamix using oranges and cabbage, and other veggies. I went a little heavy on the carrots and cabbage. Some of them liked it, but other kids commented," Mom, this ice cream tastes like....VEGETABLES! So I tried again, using more oranges and lots of frozen banannas...and even with the vegetables they LOVED it!!! No more store bought desserts at my house! Now it's just fruits and veggies made into sorbets of all kinds. And the occasional sprouted grain baked treat with honey or other natural sweetener.

It all started with the Triathlon and meeting new people. I was trying to train and become more healthy. I wanted to change my eating habits. I felt that I just wasn't eating healthy enough. I knew I wanted to give up sugar, but that wasn't enough to give me the results I was looking for.

One of the ladies who was training was also on facebook. I had met her previously at a Homeschool Talent show. She posted that she had just published an ebook called the "Fruit Predominant Diet". I began checking out her blogs and reading her recipes. I was very intruiged because she is a member of my church and follows the guidelines in our scriptures called "The Word of Wisdom".

So, after a few months of deliberating, and chatting with her on facebook, I bought her ebook and read it. It helped me go through a paradigm shift. My husband and I began trying to eat our first two meals a day 100% raw, and predominantly fruit. We both lost a lot of weight up front. At a few points, we also suffered "withdrawal" symptoms from a "detox" as our body got used to us eating differently. We did a "Juice Fast" with good results, and experienced increased energy, awareness, and a marked lack of illness and exhaustion.

We haven't kept up all we've learned perfectly. That many fundamental changes are hard to maintain! But I have received a personal testimony that my eating changes are good because when I follow them I feel GREAT. Eating mostly whole, raw, unprocessed foods fills me with life, clarity, and energy. When I don't, I feel lethargic, congested, tired, and sick. It's a very clear difference!

I began taking a few herbal classes from a local Master Herbalist. I spent a lot of time talking to the students who were taking more classes than I was and learning from them. I am hoping to learn more about Natural Healing. Time and money are two obstacles keeping me from progressing as much as I'd like. I feel like a baby who has just stumbled onto a whole new world of awakening, and that I am just toddling around on baby feet, making mistakes and babbling baby talk.

Long story short, my menu and my cupboards and my fridge look totally different than they used to! I have gotten down to my marriage weight. I never thought I would get down below 130 ever again! I am now a size 8, and now I'm thinking I could eventually lose another 10 lbs and get down to a size 6. Just yesterday, I saw an unheard of 128 on my scale! I am completely amazed.

I've noticed a HUGE difference between exercising and eating well. If I could only choose one, I'd choose eating well. Just exercise alone won't do nearly as much. I could be exercising everyday, and if I am eating unhealthy, I'll feel tired and get sick. But this week, I discovered that even though I'm not exercising as often as I'd like, I can still run for 3 miles at a good pace without stopping...I've never before felt that I "Could Run and Not be Weary, and Walk and Not Faint." It's an exhilarating experience to run and feel light as a feather and just feel like you could keep going forever. I've never felt that way before. I like it! A lot! Enough to keep eating my greens and leave the cookies in the garbage can. :)

I feel amazingly good. I don't worry about getting sick. I have lots of energy and feel healthy. Now I just need to try and get more sleep!!! That's my next goal: 8 hrs of sleep a night instead of only 5 or 6! I think I'd rather live a long and healthy life than be burning the candle at both ends. It is a very big sacrifice for me to not have my hours of quiet night life. I'm working on it!

Julianna is my one kid who hasn't had any trouble adjusting to new eating habits.

She loves her fresh fruits and veggies! This night she decided she wanted a HUGE green pepper for dinner!

She took it outside and chowed down!

YUM YUM

Autumn Time!

Here are all the pictures from our Pumpkin Patch trip! Here is Angel BEFORE she fell on her tooth! Here's a big catch-up on pictures, since I'm so far behind:

On the fun hayride on the way back from choosing our pumpkins.

We love Autumn Time!

Laura & Julianna

Julianna's serious scowl.

The girls love to pose.

Cheesy smiles

Julianna had had enough.

The big homeschool field trip group.

Just me and five kiddos is a lot of work. But it was so much easier this time around with no baby. Last time we were here Julie was about 5 months old.

Angel's favorite spot: the Wheat box

Julianna was entertained for about an hour.

Courtney's favorite slides.

Dorathy was pretty quick on her feet running around for another turn. This is everyone's favorite pumpkin patch for a reason!

Headfirst!

Christopher helped bury his younger sister alive in the wheat!

had to catch those curls!

This is the hazel nut pile. Not quite as soft as the wheat box. By this time, Julie was getting tired, and didn't want to cooperate by coming out when I called! I had to drag her out kicking and screaming.

Dorathy got to be buried alive, too!

Who wouldn't want to wallow around in a giant pool of nuts?

Crater Lake

During the first week of October, my sister was generous enough to watch my 5 kids last minute so that I could go on a get-away trip with my hubby!

We stayed at a ranch resort close to Klamath falls. We visited Crater Lake the first day.

We caught a perfect day! Warm and unbelievably clear. The Lake was an azure blue...almost violet. It was perfectly still as a glass mirror.

We spent all day looking around the exhibits, having lunch, and going on a long hike!

We had some amazing views on the hike. We went up about 3 miles to look down from the top of the cliffs.

A good view of Wizard Island.

Look at that blue!

In the months of July and August they run boats all day long to give tours. But since there was no boats and little wind, we got to see the lake completely still and untroubled. We sat and stared at it for a long while. We felt inspired to sing praises to God for his immeasurable majestic creations! It is a view that could never get old!

It was a pleasant day out, and I hope someday we can take the kids up here to enjoy it...especially when Julianna is big enough to NOT tumble off the cliffs!

A nice long car drive is so peaceful without any bickering kids! We had a very relaxing 3 day trip. The weather was perfect. We listened to some books on tape, and we got to watch a lot of movies. Most of all, we just got to spend time together! One of my favorite things we did was spend the morning playing ping pong. I've forgotten how much I LOVE that game!!!

We only went out to eat once, and it was a very disappointing experience. After making all my own salads from scratch, restaurant salads taste TERRIBLE. I ended up being very dissatisfied and got my salad for free. One of the great aspects of staying at the ranch was being able to make all our own food. Restaurants have definitely lost all their appeal!

All refreshed and energized and ready to get back home to tackle being Primary President and Mom and Homeschool Teacher once more.

Here is Scott taking the plunge!