All About the Argyles

We have a family tradition of going to Joe's Crab shack every year the day before Father's Day. It is Brent's favorite and kinda pricey so we reserve it for special occasions. The kids have all come to love CRAB so it is a much awaited treat. Here are some pics. I couldn't let the day go by without expressing my love and appreciation for the guy who fathers the children in our home and does so magnificently. He is such a shining example of what a dad should be. He is so patient, kind, helpful, and I happen to think he is a hottie to boot!

Well. Tanner is back from a week on an island with his fellow survivors. The Varsity and Venturing troops decided to have a LORD OF THE FLIES expeience for their high adventure this year. They canoed to an island, took 25 (alive) chickens, beans, rice, and a 130 lb pig with them. All they were armed with were spears that they made themselves. The leaders had knives to help cut up the kill once it was grillin' time. Here is a picture from one of the leaders that went with Tanner, This was his bed for the week. Rest assured, more will be posted later this week.

Friday I was at an awards ceremony for one child when another called saying he was done with his finals and could I come pick him up? I couldn't leave for awhile. So another mom of a girl in the ward dropped him off. Later a friend called telling me that she was in a bind and could I help her by picking her son (who just happens to be Tanner's best friend) up from school and dropping him off at his house? I was happy to. Every Sunday we save seats for the Raineys. Empty Nesters in our ward that my three youngest have adopted. Sunday just doesn't feel like Sunday to them if they are not sitting with the Raineys during sacrament meeting. Jensen loves Sister Cordy's lessons. Sister Cordy has served very effectively as the Laurel teacher and has had a profound influence on my daughter. We raised our hands in a vote of thanks to release her today - with mixed feelings. Sometimes it takes a village. The beautiful thing is, I am surrounded by so many wonderful ward family memb...

That is the title of one of my favorite books on parenting. There is a regular version for kids and then an updated version came out years later for teens. I have read them both and they are fantastic. Here are some of my best tips for getting your kids to talk. I am not sure where I read about them or heard about them. Best, Worst, and "'learn today" At dinner, we go around the table and each person tells their "best" and "worst" thing that happened that day and also 1 thing that they learned. I love this because it forces even the shy ones to talk. You would be amazed at the things you will learn with just this one little thing. Very often, they won't have a "worst" to share. That is fine. But they have to thin of a "best" and don't let them try to tell you they didn't learn anything that day. It is absolutely impossible NOT to learn something each day. Even if it is just that someone at school was sick or that they l...

C'mon MAVS! Beat the heat.