Conference Notes

General Conference is coming up in 3 weeks. Can't wait to listen to the talks! They are always so inspiring and uplifting. Makes me want to do better, serve better, and love better. 

In April, our family started a new tradition in order to have a more meaningful Conference experience. A week before Conference we got together and made Conference Notes. A small book to highlight talks, flag favorites, and pinpoint pertinent messages. 

It was a huge success! Even our youngest grandchildren got into the action. Incentives were used to keep their interest up on the talks and music. All three of them, ages 5, 3, and 18 months, listened and actively participated in all four sessions. Saturday and Sunday! 

We had a follow-up Family Home Evening Night that was dedicated to Conference trivia and sharing notes. It, too, was a huge success. We will be doing this again and again and again! 

What you need to make Conference Notes:

1. 5x7" lined recipe cards
2. Metal or plastic rings
3. Scraps of scrapbook paper, tags, markers, and ribbon (optional)

I took my piles (for each person) of lined recipe cards to Office Max and they punched holes in the cards, saving me tons of time. And, the holes were exact! The cost is so minimal and is very worth it. I think I spent a little over $2.00 to have 1000 cards punched.

I had everything on had, except the lined recipe cards. 

Instructions for making Conference Notes:

1. Cut to size and glue scrapbook paper to the front of a recipe card.
2. Add embellishments, if desired. 
3. Make a Conference Notes label for each book. Picmonkey, a free photo editing program, has a variety of label choices. After choosing the label, I picked a background color and added text. Easy!
4. I also bought 2x3 pictures from Deseret Book of the prophet, temple, Jesus, Joseph Smith for visual interest.
5. Put lined recipe cards through metal or plastic rings and add ribbon, if desired.

Now you are ready to take Conference Notes!

At the beginning of each Conference Notes book, we positioned a picture of our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in the center of the notecard. He is the first person we see. We listen to conference to be uplifted, inspired, and receive instruction. We come to hear the prophet's voice! We love him!

I added some questions before hand--things to look for, like specific messages that would help provide answers to prayers, give guidance and direction, and bring comfort and healing from a recent passing of my daughter. Then, at the end of Conference, I was able to go back through each talk, ponder upon, and answer the questions I had written previously and the ones listed above. 

What was so amazing about taking Conference notes this way, was that it was so easy to remember the talks. Not only because I took notes, but because I tagged specific messages and thought about questions I had even before Conference began. I was more in-tune with the spirit. I listened. I learned. I was able to retain much more than had I just turned Conference on t.v. and watched. 

I tagged favorite talks. And, of course, I had a few! Hastening Family History and Temple Work by Quienten L. Cook. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the first presidency, on Being Grateful. And President Thomas S. Monson, on Love.

Can you remember Gary E. Stevenson's message: My Life is a Four Minute Performance! Wow! did it ever have an impact on me. I will never forget it!

Our youngest listeners took notes!

favorite songs, and titles

They listened for Jesus Christ's name in talks

They drew pictures of themselves and how they felt. This was drawn during President Monson's talk on Love.

Drawing happy things.

Jesus loves little children! Jesus loves me!

I love to see the temple. I'm going there someday!

Little Emmy, 18 months old, even understood the importance of listening to Conference. Your children are never too young to learn!

How did youngest daughter and son-in-law get their kids to listen to conference and enjoy it? They placed pictures around the living room of different gospel topics, such as temple, faith, prophet, Jesus, etc. When the kids heard any of these words or name in a talk, they wrote and drew a picture in their note book and got a small treat. 

Follow up Family Home Evening Lesson: Conference Notes Trivia and Sharing Notes

A follow-up lesson on Conference was done on Easter Sunday. Perfect time! Each family wrote up questions related to Conference. Each question was placed in a plastic egg. We took turns reading and answering questions about talks, songs, church statistics, announcements, and names of speakers. Questions were age appropriate. Everyone brought their Conference Notes and could cheat, of course. The point was to take good notes during Conference! For each question answered correctly, a treat could be chosen from the candy jar. Cupcakes, too.

We can't wait for General Conference in a few weeks! We'll prepare. We'll pray that we will receive answers to our prayers. We'll listen and take notes. And then we'll share what we have learned with each other. Love, love, love this tradition!

Six Word Fridays: Give, said the Little Stream

Give, said the little stream, Give,

oh! give, give oh! give. Give 

said the little stream as it 

hurried down the hill. I'm small

I know but wherever I go, the

fields grow greener still. Singing, singing... 

Give, said the little rain, Give, 
oh! give, give, oh! give. Give
said the little rain, as it 
fell upon the flowers. I'll raise 
their drooping heads again, As it 
fell upon the flowers. Singing, singing...

Give, then for Jesus give, Give,
oh! give, give, oh! give. Give,
then for Jesus give, There is
something all can give. Do as 
the streams and blossoms do, For
God and others live. Singing, singing...

Singing, singing all the day,Give 
away, Oh! give away. Singing,singing 
all the day, Give, oh! Give
                  away!

This is a beloved Children's song I sang in Primary (LDS Church) as a child. It continues to be a favorite song as generations march on. There is an important message in the simple song.... Give! Give away!

With the reminder of the tragic events of 9-11, reports of Christian and other religious minorities in Iraq, fleeing to escape persecution and death, and news of countless catastrophic natural events happening all around the world, this song does, indeed, remind of us the many acts of kindness, compassion, and love that the good people of the earth give to help those in need and comfort.

And... they give! Singing, singing all the day!

We can all give some. No matter how little. We can be a part of doing something good in the world today. We can cheer up the sad. We can smile at someone. We can open the door for someone. We can be a listening ear. We can contribute to a charity fund for humanitarian efforts and other worthy causes. We can volunteer our services in times of trouble. We can give! We really can! And we should!

#sharegoodness

sing

A is for Apple

I'm a teacher. Have been my entire adult life. It started when I had my first child.

Motherhood throws us into that role whether we like it or not. We are our child's first teacher. We have more influence over them than anyone else. They mimic every thing we do. They look to us to learn about the world. They look to us as role models and pattern their own little lives after our own. 

Teaching has been a part of my entire adult life. I think I learn more than my students do! Preparing a lesson, an activity, a day adventure is really a lot of fun and fills my brain with endless ideas, creativity and inspiration! I teach... 

At home -- to my children.

At church -- nursery and primary age children to the Young Women and Relief Society women.

In my community - Library Story Hour teacher.

In my profession - As an Extension Agent/Educator, and as a Public School teacher.  

Young children and adults are my favorite's to teach. Why? Because they are eager to learn. They want to learn!

I no longer teach in a profession, but I'm still teaching! Not for pay, but for the love of it. All the grandkids are back in school, except for the two littlest ones in youngest daughter's family. Ben has two more years until he can go to the BIG school but really wants to go. He is eager to learn BIG kids stuff. So, my daughter and I made a plan to teach him and little sister Emmy. Once a week will be a structured lesson. The rest of the week is left up to mom to do follow up activities, read, play, do art, or whatever! Unstructured and full of impromptu's. One of the best and most effective ways to learn! 

First. A trip to the public Library. Oh... these little kids love to read!

Second. Make a lesson plan. Everything I do seems to be centered around themes. I don't know why, but I like it that way. It just makes sense to me. Especially when it comes to teaching.

Today -- A is for Apple. 

Perfect for the beginning of a new school year!

Story - Johnny Appleseed.
Activity - Make Johnny Appleseed pot hats
Activity - Apples in basket, sort big and small, count
Pictures and Language - Apple colors, Apple parts, Tree and Apple
Motor/Songs - Growing like an Apple Tree, Shiny Apple (we could have ended here)
Story - The Little Red House that has No Windows and No Doors and a Star Inside.
Art - Apple parts
Eat - Apple Celery Salad, Apple wedges with Caramel Sauce, Apple Juice, Sandwich.

This took us about an hour to complete. Fun! Fun! Fun!

The kids have a huge apple tree in the back yard. And, it actually grows a variety of apples on it! After we got through with the lesson, the kiddos picked some fresh apples. 

Maybe... we'll have to bake a pie now! 

Additional Activities (through the week) -

Read books
Math - Sort apples in muffin tin, make graphs, match colors, Apple seed number match
Sequencing - Cards (from planting to harvest)
Patterns - Draw what comes next in the pattern
Trace and Write - The letter A
Sounds - The short and long of A 
Art and Crafts - Paint - Brown (arm) for trunk of tree, Green (hand) for leaves, and Red (finger prints) for apples.

Make a list of other things that start with the letter A. Center activities, read books, etc. around item on list.

Mystery Box - Put a variety of objects in a box. Pull out one at a time and sort A items from the rest. 

Make a tree for your wall  with Brown paper for trunk and branches. Green paper for leaves. Red for Apples. 

Visit an Apple Orchard. Learn how to make Apple Cider or Applesauce, Apple pie filling. 

I found two exceptional sites for lesson plans and teaching packets. From pre-K through High School. 

lovelycommotion.com

teachersnotebook.com

Get your Apple on!

Writing prompt #1: September is National Apple Month. Create a blog post inspired by apples.

Hosted by

Mama Kat's Pretty Much Famous Writer's Workshop