Our trip to the Capital.

The Legislature is in session right now
so we all cheered when we finally found
a parking spot!

We didn't want a full tour because our kid's are
too young, so we got this bingo game off the capital's
website and it was just perfect for them.
All the pictures are found in the Rotunda, so we
weren't running all over the building.
And it was so pretty in there!

The kids had a blast!

When they found all the pictures, they
redeemed their prize!
A sucker!

All the marble was so pretty!

Some of the rooms were beautiful too!
We pretended we were visiting Mr Darcey's home.

It was great fun!

The coolest flashlight ever!

So, we have a crisis going on.
We lost our Red Box movie case.
It's disappeared.

Yesterday I was looking under our
TV cupboard for it and I hollered,
" Hey, you guys have a flashlight?"
E, my 3 year old, was so excited.
"I have one mom. I get it!"
So he brought me the coolest flashlight ever!

The coolest, but not helpful!
I'm still looking for the case.
We're up to $5!

Corn Husk Doll Tutorial

Here is Josefina and her doll Nina playing
with her friend Mariana and her corn husk doll.
We are going to make corn husk dolls for
our Nina dolls to play with.
Oh, the world of imagination.
I remember being little and saying things like
"Lets play pioneers!" or "Lets play orphanage!"
Now I hear my own daughters saying things like
"Lets play Josefina!" or "Lets play slaves!"
(that is based on the American Girl Addy who ran
from slavery.)
So, lets get started:

First you need corn husks and some kind of good
strong string. I got some hemp cord, but you can use
anything. Twine is good. I used about 8 pieces of the
corn husks for my doll so it would be thicker and stronger.

Soak the pieces in warm water for about 15-30
minutes so the husks bend easily.

Pat the pieces with a towel so they
don't drip.

You will notice that each husk looks a bit like
a triangle. Layer 2 sets of husks (2 pieces in each set)
so that the points are together and one set where the
points point opposite and on top of each other.

Lay the layered triangles, the points touching
in the middle, on top of the other set and
wrap the points up.

Bend the husks in half and tie the top with
the string to form a head.

Layer two more husks opposite each other to
use for arms. Open up the body where it was folded
and slip the arms in horizontally. Tie a string just
under the arms to keep them in place.
Tie the ends of each arm to form "hands".
Trim the ends off to make the body proportioned.

And there you have a beautiful "authentic"
corn husk doll.

Happy Imagining!

Out of one, In with another!

Our family has two Traditions.
Have a party at the church for New Years Eve
and take the whole family out to eat New Years Day!

We started the tradition for the New Years
Eve party at the church so
we could spend time with our kids and their
friends. Well, It didn't quite work
the way we wanted.

Now that T is 16, he would rather be anywhere else.
However, he does sneak in for a little bit to say
"Hey!" Maybe eat a little then sneak back out
to go to a dance or a friends house!

All the rest of the kids seem to enjoy it.
We play Volleyball, lots of games, eat,

Karaoke it up, and laugh a lot!

The next day we take the family out to eat.
This is always a highlight because we dont do
it except 1 or 2 times a year.
It's stinkin' expensive!
And stinkin' fun!

This year we went to The Pie

Check out that pizza! It's HUGE and delish!!!

We invited our good friends Neil and Karen Burk.

We love to go to different places every year
and check out the environment.
It was a little dark in there but we liked it!

It's all about making memories with family!

I found the pictures

Remember those pictures that mysteriously

disappeared to a different realm?
Well, I found them. Hallelujah!
These are pictures of our co-op.
We were learning about the Indians
and made costumes for all of them.

Heather made all the kids moccasins.
Then we made head bands with Indian
writing and gave ourselves Indian names.

We ate pemican, dried and fresh apples,
and Sarah F. taught us a real Indian song.
The kids had a great time!

Meet Josefina

Josefina is a young fictional character living
in New Mexico in 1824. She has 3 sisters.
Their mother died and they are struggling to get on with
life without her. Her dad is very sad
but working on the Rancho, where they live, takes a
lot of work.
But who should come a long? Tia Dolores!
Their mother's sister. She helps them learn many
things. Keeping their mother close by learning how to
read, being resourceful when a flood kills their sheep and
how to be happy.

Read the series and find out what happens when
Sombrita gets bit by a rattle snake and when they
think the American trader is dishonest.

These last few months we have had a lot of fun learning
about life on The Rancho with Josephina.

We washed clothes by hand one day and weaved a
pot holder. We made bizcochitos ( a kind of cookie),
a serape (a kind of shawl), a quill pen and real
homemade walnut ink and a journal to keep
our memories in. We also learned a little embroidery.
We are learning a spanish song too. De Colores.
You can hear it here.

We even made a nina doll (Josefina's doll) .
Oh, the girls loved that.
We made a doll shell and let the girls stuff her
and give a "heart" (a paper heart that they
hugged and kissed) to make her "alive".
Then, the girls learned some sewing and
sewed up the side. My friend Heather made
the dresses and glued the hair on.
What do you think?
We drew the faces on with fine tip permanent markers.

Next Week we will be making a corn husk doll and a
mini first aid kit and learning about making a salve
from real dried herbs and bees wax.
We will have a lesson on being safe and what to do
when you get a cut or a scrape.
(note: this club is for young girls ages 6-10)
I will show you how to make a corn husk doll too.
Stay tuned.

Today D is out with his Knights of Freedom group
learning the techniques of the beloved game
of basketball. This afternoon we will be getting
together with our co-op to watch Mr. Smith goes to
Washington and learn about the Executive Branch.
It's another fun day at the Tippetts home.

A few idea's

an American Girls Club outing a few years ago

Today, while I was meditating I had a few idea's
about school, church, crafts, and my new
years resolution.

1 new years resolution! 1!
Be more consistent with Family Prayer
morning and night.
Now that I have teenagers it seems like
there are a lot of comings and goings. This goal
isn't as easy as it sounds. We've done pretty
good so far though. Sometimes we have
Family Prayer right after dinner or right before
just to get it in. It has helped me just knowing
we are doing it consistently.
Consistently, consistently.....
everything works if you do it consistently!!!!

School:
I have taught my children at home now for 11+
years and we have had a good time of it.
American Girls Club and Knights of Freedom
have been true highlights of my children's
childhood. They have been involved in Co-ops
too which have been fun. Through it all
we've done some really fun activities and
made some really fun crafts.
In my experience, when my children can identify
with a time in history (or any other subject)
emotionally, it sticks.
Forever.

My daughter memorized the Declaration of Independence
(excluding the injuries of the King) and it has poured
out from her as she has written papers and how she
asks questions about politics. It has become part of
who she is because of the experiences she had while
memorizing it.

When my older daughters were younger, their History
classes happened at American Girls Club.

They read the American Girl series which are books about
fictional characters in real historical events.
They do activities and learn real life lessons.
They remember those lessons and they
have so much fun learning about History!

This year we have learned about Josephina
and her life living in New Mexico before it became
part of the United States. Fun stuff... Fun history!

Knights of Freedom is similar only for boys. They read
about great men and learn to become great men and
members of society!

Anyways.... I thought it would be fun to post
the activities and crafts we have done and will be doing
and pictures of it all.

Church:
I now teach the Sunbeams and I am a Wolf
Den Leader. I spend a lot of time and effort into
my children's education and seem to prepare
lessons and scout activities with less gusto.
What if I put equal effort into my church callings?
They would be great fun. I know! The kids would
learn great things from the scriptures and about
Heavenly Fathers love for them and they
would learn they can't get through life with
out our Savior. And they would learn the courage it
takes to live a good life.

Maybe that is a New Years resolution too.
To teach with my testimony in my church callings
with as much passion as I use to teach my children at home.

Yes, that'll do pig! That'll do.