This Past Week

This month instead of having a formal pack meeting, I decided that we should have a Cub Scout family hike.  We went to South Mountain and hiked about 3 miles.  It was so much fun and all of the kids did a great job.  Amelia only had to be carried for about 200 yards of the whole hike, though she was much slower because she is two and has short chubby legs.  She is so cute.  When she and Steve made it to the trail head, the other kids and I cheered for her and she ran to us and gave us big hugs.  While we were waiting for her and Steve, Amy got to pet a horse.  She was so excited.

I was having a conversation with my mom on the phone and I said "Last Sunday ....blah blah blah."  Well Burke was listening to the conversation and he said "That was the last Sunday?"  Then on Saturday, I told him we needed to have baths because we had church the next day.  He said "No we don't, you said it was the last Sunday."  He was really upset because he doesn't like his primary teacher and didn't want to go to church.

This week we had a really busy schedule.  Every night there was a game or a play or play practice, or a concert or mutual.  I told the older kids that next semester they are only allowed to choose one activity.  I can't keep this up!  We are not having quiet family evenings. It has been too much.  There has been more bickering, and blaming and chores are not getting done.  We have to stop this now.

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord’s kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power."  Julie B Beck 10/2007