13 days of Young Womens

Em is about to turn 12 next week. It's a big birthday in our house, it's when the kids finish primary and move into Young Mens and Young Womens at church. The boys get the Priesthood and they can both start going to the Temple. So I wanted to make this 'graduation' just a little bit special. I found the idea on Raising Lemons and tweaked it just slightly to make it my own. Each day Em opens a special box and there is something relating to Young Womens in it.
One of the days is a Family Home Evening on the "For the Strength For Youth" booklet. I wanted to do a memory game with it, but couldn't find anything like what I was thinking of on the net, so I made my own. I laid out the categories in a line and gave her the clues to see if she could match them up.
She eventually got them all right even though she had never seen the booklet before. We read a few words from the booklet on each category that I really wanted her to 'get' so that she had an overview of everything and told her she would learn them more in depth over the next 6 years in YW.
It also gave me a chance to talk to her about sexual purity - a topic every parent I'm sure dreads speaking to their child about but she had already learnt it in Health class so it wasn't as terrible as I feared ;).
It was a good Family Home Evening with her. I'm glad her Dad and I were able to do that together with her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sold

And right now I'm gutted.

It only took two weeks to get an offer on our house, it has gone unconditional and we settle on June 6th. And we have nowhere to go.

Well, not exactly nowhere. We have my parents, and I love them for that. Alot. It's just that our life is here - school, kindy, piano, guitar, soccer, netball, friends, work, church (sundays, Bishop interviews, faith in god, activities)..... the commute is going to be painful.

We are moving next weekend, putting everything in storage and taking the bare minimum to Mum and Dad's. I haven't even begun packing. I don't want to. I really really like my house and where we live, and the only reason we put our house on the market is because we found a house that was perfect for our growing family. Unfortunately it turned out to be a leaky house and we simply did not have that much money to fix it. Instead of taking our house off the market till we found something else, we left it on there knowing that as a cash buyer we would be in a better position to buy when another house came along. Well we've tried to buy another 3 houses and being a cash buyer has meant nothing. One was leaky (again!) and the other two were auctions but the owners wanted more money than we felt they were worth. Suck! I really didn't think it would be this hard to buy a house.

So what do we do now? As I said our life is here, so it makes sense to find a rental here. Well, that's easier said than done too. There is such demand for housing in Hamilton, whether its to buy or to rent that things go pretty quick. And we've been holding out for one of those auctions that we haven't been able to commit to a rental, but now we are of two minds about buying this property thinking it's not really 'the one'. And now there is bugger all out there available to rent at the time we have to move. Which means two moves. One out of here, and the other when something comes available. Joyous. Not.

It is all so incredibly frustrating and unknowing and unsettling and stressful! My poor children have had some very grumpy parents of late because we just don't know where we are going to live.We've looked in the ward boundary, we've looked out of the ward boundary and we just don't know where the Lord wants us to be. We've prayed, we've fasted, we've prayed, we've taken it to the temple, we've prayed and I've cried. This really really really sucks.

I can't even call the power/phone companies etc cause I don't know if I'm cancelling their services, or moving them. I have 12 days. Which isn't the 6th of June but it's long weekend and is the best time to move. The 6th is a Friday and Nate would have to take a day or two off work if we did it then. With only him working, we need all the money he can make.

Speaking of work, I haven't decided when I will go back to working. I've started weaning my baby, he takes two bottles a day now, but still has maybe four feeds from me. Weaning is painful, and organising his bottles and his solids now just adds to the pressure I'm feeling. He's 6 months now and a solid little boy, so he needs the extra nourishment. Otherwise I'd forget it all and just leave him on the breast - so much easier.

I almost feel like I'm paralyzed. I just don't know what to do. I have a whole house to pack and I just won't start. I just don't want to move.

House For Sale

We need a bigger house. We have J in his own room and the other four kids in the other. Em hates it! Another toilet would be heaven, maybe then the boys will stop going outside in the garden first thing in the morning (I think that's gonna stop when winter hits anyway!) when the girls have already occupied it.
Check out our house here: http://nz.raywhite.com/waikato/st-andrews/1114429/

Anyone want to buy it??? If it doesn't sell we will stay a while longer :)

Twelve Days of Priesthood

I have three boys but the oldest is only 5. Our nephew is turning 12 this month so it has been good to watch him grow and get ideas for our boys. Turning 12 also means he will get the Priesthood at church. Browsing on Pinterest his Mum and I found this wonderful idea to celebrate this milestone. I love how it is spread out over twelve days so that (hopefully) he gets a really good understanding of the Priesthood and it's responsibilities and blessings.

I wanted to make some cards to put in an envelope for him to open, one each morning. It makes it a little more special than him just asking what is happening that day. So I've started making them - chalkboard style. I've never done the chalkboard look before but I'm happy with how they look.

1. Letter. 
Have an important male figure in your son’s life write about his testimony of the Priesthood or some special experiences with it.  The letter could be from a grandpa, uncle, cousin, leader, friend, advisor or teacher.

2. Family Home Evening Lesson.
Hold a FHE  or two on the Restoration of the Priesthood or what the Priesthood is. Knowledge and understanding is an important part of holding the Priesthood.

3. New suit.

Go suit shopping together and pick out his first suit (or a new one).
Talk about the importance of looking like a servant of the Lord.
 
4. Small inspirational gift.
Give a rock that has the word ‘Courage’ on it. Talk about the importance of 
having courage to make the right choice (as peer influence becomes more 
powerful than parental influence at this age).  
The rock is small enough to fit into his pocket, so you may slip it into his coat pocket when he goes on a date, to a party, etc. to remind him to have courage.  
The gift could also be a CTR ring, tie tack, book, journal, etc.

5.  Discussion.

Read and discuss together the duties of the Aaronic Priesthood in the Doctrine and Covenants.  See D&C Section 20, 84, 107 and 121 for reference.
This could be another Family Home Evening Lesson.

6. Priesthood Line of Authority.
A Priesthood line of authority traces the Priesthood from man to man back to Jesus Christ. Print your son’s line and make it into a book mark for his scriptures or a nice print for a bedroom wall.

7.  Framed picture.

This could be a picture of Jesus or the temple or your family for his bedroom.
The picture will be a nice reminder in his room of first priorities.

8.  Date with Dad.
Have dad or an uncle take your son on a one-on-one date.
This would be a great time to do a Father’s interview and talk about concerns and questions about holding the Priesthood.

9.  New tie or new white shirt. 
Again this goes back to dressing respectful of the office they hold.

10. Letter from Mum.
While letters from men are important, so is one from mum.  After all, women have testimonies of the Priesthood as well.  You could share a special experience or memory where the Priesthood has blessed your life.

11.  Run-Through.
Turning 12 can be a little scary because you are expected to pass the sacrament
to the congregation. It is always helpful to have a run through of where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to do.
Coordinate with the Priesthood advisor or quorum president so they can be involved to help your son feel comfortable with his new responsibilities.

12. Actual Ordination.  
Today is the big day.  Invite family to witness the special occasion.
 And make sure to write down the blessing and get a picture of your new Deacon.

So a big thankyou to Tiffany at raisinglemons.com for sharing this idea. I love it!

BTW - I'm not really sure how to attach files, but I'm happy for you to save my images and use them for your 11-turning-12 year old. :)

I have now done one for my daughter - 13 days of Young Womens.