Elese's 1st Birthday

Now I do realize that her birthday was in December but that was before I started my blog. After posting Max's Birthday pictures I wanted to post Elese's too and I'm just getting around to it. Elese is my little Princess so of course she had a Princess Birthday Party. We started with a tea party. I didn't want to deal with all the tea bags and stuff for a 1 year olds birthday party so we had Russian Tea (basically Wasel), cucumber sandwiches, pigs in a blanket (cut in bite size pieces), Ham sandwiches, a relish plate, fruit with dip and little cookies.

If you have never made your own cake pan I highly suggest it. My mom has done this for years and it works great!!! If you can draw it on a poster board then you can make it into a cake. 1st, Draw any picture (not too complicated) on a poster board, this becomes the bottom of the pan. Then you use tin foil to make the edges by folding it down, leaving about an inch at the bottom. Then you tape the extra inch to the bottom of the poster board and fold up the sides to make the edges of the pan. Here is how Elese's cake turned out.

These were the cupcakes we had for our guests.

We had crowns for the boys and tiaras for the girls.

Being that this was Elese's first birthday it was really more for her cousins than for her so she just played whiled the cousins played the games.

For the first game we assigned all of the "Princes" a "Princess". Steven then took the "Princes" into the other room and told them a story about how an evil dragon kidnapped their "Princesses" and that they needed to rescue them. Meanwhile all of the girls were hiding throughout the house. The boys all rescued the princesses.

Next we played Kiss the Frog (Pin the tail on the Donkey) . We would blind fold one girl, put lipstick on her and have her kiss the frog. They loved it!!! My sister-in-law Laurie even wanted to play. My other sister-in-law stood infront of the frog with Laurie's son so she kissed him instead of the frog, it was very cute.

And Of Course we had cake and ice cream (as you can tell by my big bum in the background).

Decorating was also fun and challenging since it was Christmas time so here are some of the cute things we did.

Primary Singing Time

I know this may not be very interesting for everyone. Some of you may be aware that I am the primary chorister in my ward. I am always looking online for ideas. I'm sure my ideas are not as great as some others may be but I thought I would post them for anyone who was looking for ideas.

I plan everything a month in advance. That way if anything comes up and I'm sick or something then I will have everything already planned. I can also give the pianist a little warning so they can practice the songs.

My great idea that hasn't been too successful but I still think it is cute is Robbie Reverent (I wish I had a picture). With my husbands help in design and my father-in-laws in wood work we created a little wooden boy. He is about 2 1/2 feet tall. He has a hole in his neck where we keep a tie. Robbie is Reverent from Head to Toe. When the children are being really reverent his tie reaches is toes. When they are not it is very very short. They main problem I have had with this is just finding a good balance with leading, listening, & dealing with the tie.

Within the Robbie Universe I have created Rowdy vs. Reverent. Robbie in his church clothes is pasted to a brown paper sack and Robbie in his basketball uniform is pasted to another brown paper sack. In the Reverent Robbie sack we have reverent songs. In the Rowdy Robbie sack we have the fun nursery songs, and action songs. The children choose a song out of each bag every other time. The goal is to know when it is appropriate to be rowdy and when it is not.

It's always hard when you are asked to sing in sacrament meeting and they haven't sung an Easter song in a year so you have to teach it all over again. So this is my solution.
Periodically when I'm tired of teaching program songs and they are tired of learning them I bring this out. They get to choose if they want a winter, spring, summer or fall song. We spend the time singing Christmas songs in the summer or Popcorn Popping when there is snow outside.

Another thing our ward has done for years is Solo Sunday. Every child has the opportunity to sing a solo, or in a small group. Sometimes we have solos and sometimes we have entire classes come up together and sing. Teachers can sing too. If anyone sings a solo they get 3 starbursts, if they sing a duet each get two starbursts, if the group is any larger then this they each get 1 starburst. This is fantastic for when you are out of town because your substitute only has to lead the opening and rest song.

The main thing I use for teaching a song is directed listening. This is when you sing the new song or play the cd and have the kids count the number of times you say "he", or touch their nose when you sing "savior". They are listening so closely to try and hear the specific word that they are absorbing all of the words and can sing it with you just after a few times. I take this a step further. I studied sign language in high school and college. So sometimes I will teach them signs for certain words and have them sign when I sing the word. They really enjoy learning sign language so it keeps them engaged.

Another GREAT resource is www.theideadoor.com if you haven't already stumbled on it. So I realize this is a long long blog but I've also attached my schedule from Jan 08-march 08. I can always use great ideas so I hope mine can help some of you. I always try to use the Outline they give at the beginning of the year for choosing the opening & rest songs. If I have any positive comments on putting this info on my blog then I will add each months schedule when I complete it.

Date: 12/16/2007

Opening Song: Picture a Christmas, pg. 50

Reverence Song: The Nativity Song, pg. 52

Singing Time: Mary’s Lullaby, pg. 44. Write words on the board. Have them erase a word and draw a picture for that word.

Date: 12/23/2007

Opening Song: Stars Were Gleaming, pg. 37

Reverence Song: He Sent His Son, pg. 34

Singing Time: Review Mary’s Lullaby, pg. 44.

If there is time left: Sing Christmas songs with Emily’s cards…Sing like an old lady, etc. (Be sure to end with Mary’s Lullaby)

Date: 12/30/2007

Opening Song: I Hope They Call Me on a Mission, pg. 169

Reverence Song: When He Comes Again, pg. 82

Singing Time: Teacher’s Choice, Teachers Choose a song that they LOVE but our Children do not know. Have each teacher say why they like that song. I will read the words to the children and we will all try and sing it together. Teachers, be sure to sing LOUD! Have song books if possible.

Date: 1/6/2007

Opening Song: Book of Mormon Stories, pg 118

Reverence Song: Children All Over The World, pg. 16

Singing Time: I am a Child of God, pg. 2

Notes: Pass a ball along the rows have each child say one word of the song, all

verses. If they don’t know the word they can pass it on to the next person. See how well they know it. Sing all verses.

If Needed: Directed Listening for 2^nd and 3^rd verses

2^nd Verse: Rhymes with ate (Great & Late)

3^rd Verse: Rhymes with pour (Store & More)

4^th Verse: Rhymes with Pure, (Sure & Endure)

If They know it: Words Worth with Last years Program Songs

words worth was used when I was growing up. There are pictures of 4 children, named Words Worth (sing the words), LuLu (sing lululu), Aubrey(sing AHHHH), & Humphrey (hum)

Date: 1/13/2007

Opening Song: I Lived in Heaven, pg. 4

Reverence Song: I will Follow God’s Plan , pg. 164

Singing Time: Solo Sunday

Choose First: (these are the children that didn't get to participate the month before) Grace , Paige, Braxton, Ellyson, Abby , Liam, Ethan , Matthew , Austin ,

Sterling , Megan , Emily , Nick

Date: 1/20/2007

Opening Song: Nephi’s Courage, pg. 120

Reverence Song: I’m Trying to Be like Jesus, pg. 78

Singing Time: Lean about dynamics. I am a Child of God, pg. 2 (verses they have

trouble with)

Notes: Teach them what different dynamics mean. Hold up signs, or show them

how I would lead different dynamics, have them sing that way. Dynamics

to use, (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff) Try, ritard & a tempo another time. Maybe

Learn Descant???

Date: 1/27/2007

Opening Song: Choose the Right Way, pg. 160

Reverence Song: Holding Hands Around the World, Pg, Music Copy, Does Becky have a copy?

Singing Time: Songs of the Season. Poster, with 4 seasons, Winter: Tree with Snow Flakes (Chrismas Songs, snow songs), Spring: Tree with Popcorn (ie: Easter, Mothers Day, Springtime), Summer: Tree with Green Leaves (Pioneers, Fathers Day, Country Topic, Summer Songs), Fall: Tree with Fall Leaves (Autumn, Thanksgiving Songs, primary Program Songs) Have the song we are currently learning once in each season so that we can practice it this week…choose verses that they are having trouble with.

Date: 02/03/2008

Opening Song: Book of Mormon Stories pg 118

Reverence Song: Search Ponder & Pray pg. 109

Singing Time: Tell me the Stories of Jesus pg. 57 Use the pictures from http://members.aol.com/jollyjenn/PrimarySongs.html. One verse at a time. Teach the children boy, girl, and both in sign language. Sign boy, girl or both off and on through the song. After choose a boy, girl or both who sang really well, have them choose a picture of someones to take down. Sing each verse at least once.

Date: 02/10/2008

Opening Song: The Wise Man and the Foolish Man (all verses) pg. 281

Reverence Song: Tell me the Stories of Jesus pg. 57 1^st verse

Singing Time: Solo Sunday!

Choose First: Paige, Braxton, Ellyson, Matthew, Walker, Griffin, Abby, Hailey, Ryan, Chelsea, Lexi

Date: 02/17/2008

Opening Song: This Is My Beloved Son pg. 76

Reverence Song: An Angel Came to Joseph Smith pg. 86

Singing Time: Tell Me The Stories of Jesus pg. 57, Humphrey…, Also review I am a child of God with Humbphrey…

Date: 02/27/2008

Opening Song: Whenever I Think About Pioneers pg. 222

Reverence Song: I Want to Live the Gospel pg. 148

Singing Time: Rowdy vs. Reverent. Every other song is a fun action song or a nursery song, the ones in between will be reverent songs. Have them draw the songs out of a paper Bag. See how reverently they can switch back and forth.

Singing Time Songs:

FUN SONGS REVERENT SONGS

A Happy Family pg. 198 A Childs Prayer pg. 12

Daddy’s Homecoming pg. 210 Children All Over the World pg 16

Do as I’m Doing pg. 276 Faith pg. 96

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes pg. 275 Families Can Be Together pg. 188

If You’re Happy pg. 266 He Sent His Son pg. 34

Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam pg. 60 I Am a Child of God pg. 2

Popcorn Popping Tell Me the Stories of Jesus pg. 57

The Wise Man and the Foolish Man Reverently, Quietly pg. 26

Date: 03/02/2008 note to me: Make copies of If the Savior for teachers.

Opening Song: Genealogy pg. 94

Reverence Song: Families Can Be Together Forever pg. 188

Singing Time:

Practice He Sent His Son for the program. Pg. 34

Sing through it once. I will have a bag or something marked with a Question Mark, in it will be one of the questions from the song. I will have a bag with the answers in it. They can choose a question or jeopardy. I will sing (have pianist play that line as I sing) and then they need to sing the answer or the question. I will have them raise their hand if they know it and anyone who raises their hand can sing it together.

If Time Directed listening for 1^st verse of If the Savior Stood Beside Me Print out

I will have them stand (if the savior STOOD) when I sing these words:

1^st time Stood, Savior

2^nd time + Do, example

Date: 03/09/2008

Opening Song: Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam pg. 60

Reverence Song: I Feel My Savior’s Love pg. 74

Singing Time: Solo Sunday, everyone had a turn last time.

Double Starbursts for:

I am a Child of God, vs. 2,3,or4

Tell me the Stories

If the Savior

Date: 03/16/2008

Opening Song: We’ll Bring the World His Truth pg. 172

Reverence Song: Nephi’s Courage pg. 120

Singing Time: He Sent His Son pg. 34

Have one side of the room sing the question and one side sing the answer. Switch off. This is how I want them to do it when they sing in sacrament meeting.

If the Savior Stood Beside Me, print out

I will have them stand (if the savior STOOD) when I sing these words:

1^st time Stood, Savior

2^nd time + Do, example

3^rd time + commandments, righteously

2^nd Verse

1^st Time Stood, Savior

2^nd Time +Say, share

3^rd time + true, reverently

3^rd Verse

1^st Time He, His

2^nd Time near, kind

3^rd Time dearly, person

Date: 03/23/2008 EASTER

Opening Song: Popcorn Popping pg. 242

Reverence Song: On a Golden Springtime pg. 88

Singing Time: Practice for singing in sacrament Meeting. He Sent His Son, pg. 34

Mix them up and switch who sings the question and who sings the answer.

Continue learning If the Savior Stood Beside Me, print out

I will have them stand (if the savior STOOD) when I sing these words:

1^st time Stood, Savior

2^nd time + Do, example

3^rd time + commandments, righteously

2^nd Verse

1^st Time Stood, Savior

2^nd Time +Say, share

3^rd time + true, reverently

3^rd Verse

1^st Time He, His

2^nd Time near, kind

3^rd Time dearly, person

Date: 03/30/2008

Opening Song: When He Comes Again, pg. 82

Reverence Song: I Know That My Redeemer Lives, hymn book

Singing Time: Pass off Songs

I will have a poster. I will have everyone pass off the songs we have learns as a class.

Dynamics.

If there is time we will practice all the songs with the dynamic cards.