May Family Scripture Study Plan and a few other Ramblings

It's the 1st Sunday of a new month, so of course I'm doing the new month's scripture study plan.  It's been a very busy month.  We went on a trip to the mountains for spring break and it went much, much better than I thought it would!  I didn't know my kids would be good little hikers because we have never attempted a serious hike up a mountain, but we went on a 2 mile hike that had some pretty steep ascents, and a creek we had to cross about 10 times and the kids handled it very well and we all had so much fun on the hike!  Wesley just sat on top of Erick's shoulders the entire time (Erick doesn't use backpack carriers or even strollers and never has) and Erick wasn't even phased from carrying an almost 2 year old up and down a mountain for 2 miles...but then again, he is the Mary Poppins of men--practically perfect in every way.  We also toured the Linville Caverns, went gem mining, went to Tweetsie Railroad, and lots more. Here are a few highlights:

 Cora inside of the Linville Caverns

See how steep this hike became!  Cash did great!  He found some sticks that he thought made him look like a Reindeer so he was a Reindeer for the majority of the hike! 

 Here is a great little spot!

 The waterfall!

 This is pure kid fun!

 This is a teepee at Tweetsie

I thought the kids did a great job of running away from an oncoming train!

  I'm amazed at how many amazing stories come out of JUST the book of Genesis in the Old Testament!  We spent about 16 weeks in Genesis and now it's time to move on, but I never realized how many beloved bible stories are from that amazing book!  Now we move into Exodus and things really get going!  Here is the May Family Study Plan:  Once again, this is formulated using scriptures suggested by the Old Testament reading challenge from the January 2014 Friend magazine, and for the Friday of each week it is Primary Focus Day where I took ideas from the 2014 Sharing Time Outline.  The memorization scripture for the month is also the Primary scripture of the month.  Enjoy!

May Family Scripture Study Plan

Memorization Scripture:  2 Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy aprophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Article of Faith 8:  8 We believe the aBible to be the bword of God as far as it is translated ccorrectly; we also believe the dBook of Mormon to be the word of God.

Week 19:Birth and Calling of Moses

May 5 Exodus 1: 8-14, 22

May 6 Exodus 2: 1-6

May 7 Exodus 2: 10-21

May 8 Exodus 3: 1-14, 19-20 Exodus 4: 10-12

May 9 Primary Focus Day:  Theme:Prophets in the scriptures are examples to my family.  Read D&C 84: 27-28 (John the Baptist)

Week 20: The Plagues

May 12 Exodus 7: 10-14, 20-21

May 13 Exodus 8: 6, 17, 24, Exodus 9: 6, 10, 23

May 14 Exodus 10: 14-15, 22 Exodus 11: 5

May 15 Exodus 12: 30-32, 41-42

May 16 Primary Focus Day: Prophets in the scriptures are examples to my family.  Read Mosiah 27: 23-24 (Alma the Younger repents)

Week 21:  The Exodus

May 19 Exodus 14: 5-10

May 20 Exodus 14: 11-16

May 21 Exodus 14: 19-25

May 22 Exodus 14: 26-31

May 23 Primary Focus Day: Prophets in the scriptures are examples to my family. Read Joshua 24:15 (Joshua served the Lord)

Week 22: The Israelites Received Manna From Heaven

May 26 Exodus 16: 1-4

May 27 Exodus 16: 5-8
May 28 Exodus 16: 21-26

May 29 Exodus 16: 27-31, 35

May 30 Primary Focus Day:  Prophets in the scriptures are examples to my family.

Read 1 Nephi 3:7 (Nephi was obediant)

It's that time again!

You know...time for a new post about family scripture study!!!  This month has been pretty eventful, but not in ways that I would like it to be.  In the last month, Wesley brought home the stomach flu from nursery and got me, Cora, and Bryant sick, then a week and a half later, he got it AGAIN, but luckily no one caught it that time, and then this week (yes, after going to church) he got the lovely hand, foot, and mouth virus, and he is still fighting that one, but seems to be recovering.  Blah.  We also had several more delays, early releases, and snow days over the month, but luckily they are not making us make them all up, or we would have totally lost spring break.  Something nice that happened:  Had a new nephew born this week to Greg and Heather.  His name is Henry Hampton and he is very, very tired, as he slept the entire day I was around him.  It was nice to get the chance to see him and the cousins and all of that.

Funny story time:  The other day I was tired after Wesley cried for four straight hours in the middle of the night because he was in a lot of pain thanks to his virus.  I was trying to lay down during "nap time" even though I was the only person interested in a nap.  I hear the door bell ring and know it is just the ups man, so I ignore it.  Then I hear Cash amble to the door, open it, and say "THAAAAAANNNNNKKK YYYYOU!  Oh!  These are diapers for my baby brother WESLEY!! Thanks!  He needs these, and I do too sometimes at night!  Thank you mister box man!"  Then he closes the door and yells to me "Mom!  The box man in the big brown truck brought diapers for Wesley!"  It is so funny getting a peak into their little brains.  I think it is hilarious that to Cash, the UPS man is the box man in the big brown truck.  I love it.

Also, don't forget that General Conference is this week.  For a long time, I have just listened to conference and then read over the talks when they come in the mail, but lately I have started taking notes again in church (for the first time in about 8 years or so). I have been amazed at how much more information I retain.  I think it's because I'm synthesizing the information in two ways, by writing and listening.  I'm excited for Conference, and am excited to dedicate this week of my life to preparing to receive revelation about where God thinks I need to be going with my life.  Everyone should check it out (at least out of Mormon-curiosity) at lds.org on Sunday at noon eastern time.  And don't worry mom, I will be watching all four sessions, as always.

One more final word:  The idea of never leaving something unsaid has been pervading my thoughts lately.  I think the best new-year's resolutions are the ones that we don't think up at the beginning of the year, but the feelings and thoughts that come to us, and seemingly pull at us until we address them.  I feel a strong need to not let people pass through my life without telling them how much they mean to me.  So I'm trying to find ways to let special people in my life know that they are important to me, that they have made impressions on me.  I truly do think the most important word in the English language is "Remember" in so many ways (seriously, I could write a book on the meanings of this word in my life), and I want people to know that I do remember them, that they have left foot prints on my heart that will never be forgotten.  How many people do we let drift through our lives that deserved our acknowledgement, that needed to know how much we appreciate them?  Acknowledging the effect that people have had in my life has been in one word:  liberating.  It's hard to explain with words, lessons that our spirits learn, but, it truly is one of the coolest things I have ever done, and I am going to continue.  

Now for what you are really here for:  Also, beware, there is A LOT of reading this month, but it is all worth it, because these are the BIG stories of the old Testament we are getting into here! I am basing each month's reading off of the January Friend Old Testament reading challenge, and then on Fridays, I pull from the Primary Sharing Time outline to pick what we read.  Enjoy!

April Family Scripture Study Plan

Memorization Scripture:  Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and . . . the family is central to the...Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”)

Article of Faith: 7   We believe in the agift of btongues, cprophecy, drevelation,evisions, fhealing, ginterpretation of tongues, and so forth.

Week 14 Jacob and Esau

Mar 31 Genesis 25:21-28

Apr 1 Genesis 25: 29-34

Apr 2 Genesis 27: 1-12

Apr 3 Genesis 27: 13-23

Apr 4 (Primary Focus Day) sing Families can Be Together Forever CS 188, read D&C 138: 47-48 and Alma 37:35

Week 15 Jacob and Rachel

Apr 7 Genesis 29: 1-2, 10-14

Apr 8 Genesis 29: 15-19

Apr 9 Gensesis 29: 20-25

Apr 10 Genesis 29: 26-30

Apr 11 (Primary Focus Day) Obey Parents, and the Lord:  Ephisians 6:1, Mosiah 2:22, D&C 59:23

Week 16 Jacob becomes Israel; Joseph is sold into Egypt

Apr 14 Genesis 35: 9-12

Apr 15 Genesis 37: 3-10

Apr 16 Genesis 37: 11-14, 18-23

Apr 17 Genesis 37: 24-34

Apr 18 (Primary Focus Day) THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities

Week 17 Joseph in Egypt

Apr 21 Genesis 39: 1-4, 7-20

Apr 22 Genesis 40: 1-3, 5-8

Apr 23 Genesis 41: 1, 8-12, 14

Apr 24 Genesis 41: 29-36, 39-40

Apr 25 (Primary Focus Day) “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.” Family Proclamation

Week 18 Joseph Forgives

Apr 28 Genesis 42: 3-16

Apr 29 Genesis 43: 15, 44:1-12

Apr 30 Genesis Genesis 44: 18, 33-44

May 1 Genesis 45: 3-8

May 2 (Primary Focus Day) “ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose” Family Proclamation

March Family Scripture Study Plan

Hello!  Hope everyone is having success with their family scripture study!  I have kind of made my life a little more hectic lately by deciding to entirely re-do my house (I mean everything-ripping out floors, re-painting, remodeling bathrooms--it is all happening!!!).  Honestly, I was 22 when we moved into our house, and while I still love my house and want to live here for a long time to come, my tastes have changed a lot over the last 8 years, and I am ready for my house to match what I like at this point in my life.  So, we are going to be living life a little differently for a while, giving up time at the gym for painting, dodging around ladders, spending Saturdays laying new flooring, etc.

But I am in no way deterred from doing our family scripture study.  Here is March's plan.  I am using the Old Testament study challenge from January's Friend magazine and also pulling ideas from the Primary Sharing Time outline for Fridays.  Here you go!

March Family Scripture Study Plan

Memorization Scripture:   John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never athirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water bspringing up into ceverlasting life.

Article of Faith 6:   We believe in the same aorganization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, bprophets, cpastors, dteachers,eevangelists, and so forth.

Week 10 The Abrahamic Covenant

Mar 3 Abraham 1: 1-4

Mar 4 Abraham 2: 6-9

Mar 5 Abraham 2: 10-13

Mar 6 Genesis 17: 1-7

Mar 7 (Primary Focus Day)  Remember the Atonement Luke 22: 39-44

Week 11 Abraham and Lot

Mar 10 Genesis 13: 1-13

Mar 11 Genesis 19:1

Mar 12 Genesis 19: 15-17

Mar 13 Genesis 19: 24-29

Mar 14 (Primary Focus Day) Witnesses of Christ: Mary Magdalene John 20: 1-18

Week 12 Abraham and Isaac

Mar 17 Genesis 22:  1-4

Mar 18 Genesis 22: 5-9

Mar 19 Genesis 22: 10-14

Mar 20 Genesis 22: 15-18

Mar 21 (Primary Focus Day) Witnesses of Christ: Thomas John 20: 19-29

Week 13 Isaac and Rebekah

Mar 24 Genesis 24: 1-4

Mar 25 Genesis 24: 7-13

Mar 26 Genesis 24: 14-20

Mar 27 Genesis 24: 61-67

Mar 28  (Primary Focus Day) Witnesses of Christ: Joseph Smith D&C 76: 22-24

February Family Scripture Study Plan

A couple of people asked me to keep posting our scripture study plan, so I am happy to do that--keeps me accountable!  This month the memorization scripture is LONG.  The primary outline shortens it, so if you don't want to memorize a super long scripture, you can do just the first sentence or just choose another scripture.

Man, do I love studying the scriptures as a family!  I have seen such a change for good in the behavior of my older two children.  They still get in trouble a lot, but slowly but surely our moments at home are less filled with fighting and competition and more filled with fun, laughter, and playing and sometimes a little kindness ha ha!  With no further adieu:

February Primary Theme:  Heavenly Father Has a Plan for His Children

February memorization scripture:  2 Nephi 9:13

Article of Faith #5

Oh how great the plan of our God!  For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh,save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.  

Week 6 The City of Enoch

Feb 3 Moses 6:21

Feb 4 Moses 6: 26-28

Feb 5 Moses 7: 13-16

Feb 6 Moses 7: 17-21

Feb 7 (Primary Focus Day) Heavenly Father’s Plan includes Premortal Life, Life, and Life after Death Genesis 1:1; Alma 12:24; Alma 34:32;

Alma 40:12; Doctrine and Covenants 76:62;

Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:22–23.

Week 7 Noah’s Ark

Feb 10 Genesis 6: 5, 7-9

Feb 11 Genesis 6: 13-22

Feb 12 Genesis 7: 1-19

Feb 13 Genesis 7: 23-24

Feb 14 (Primary Focus Day)Why was the creation important?  D&C 59: 18-19

Week 8 Noah’s Family is Saved

Feb 17 Genesis 8: 6-7

Feb 18 Genesis 8: 8-10

Feb 19 Genesis 8: 11-13

Feb 20 Genesis 8: 15-17

Feb 21 (Primary Focus Day)  Whose image were we created in? Genesis 1: 27

Week 9 The Tower of Babel

Feb 24 Genesis 11: 1-9

Feb 25 Ether 1: 1-3

Feb 26 Ether 1: 33-37

Feb 27 Ether 1: 38-43

Feb 28 (Primary Focus Day) Who will you choose to follow?  2 Nephi 2: 27

A mere year and a half or so later...plus, I am sharing our January Family Scripture Study Plan if you want to use it too!!!

Yes, it has been a long time.  Oh well.  This blog will always be here when I feel the need to express myself in more than a couple of sentences on facebook.  2013 was a fabulous year, and I'm hoping 2014 will be even better!  We got through Erick starting a new business, Cash was the craziest 3 year old I have EVER had, Cora and Bryant are nearly half way through the school year, and so on and on.  The real reason I decided to blog was because I want to share our scripture study plan for January.  That is probably my best success of 2013--getting my act together in a lot of ways after having a baby, who is not so much a baby anymore.

A big way I got things together was in really getting serious about family scripture study.  I realized nighttime study was just never going to work for us.  My kids go to bed at two different times, and everyone is crazy right before bed.  CRAZY.  After trying for years to make it work, it just clicked that it was NOT going to happen.  So I realized we needed to do mornings.  Simple as that.  I started making all of the lunches the night before which shaves off 5 minutes of time and then set the alarm clock back another 15 minutes to give us enough time for 20 full minutes of study and discussion.  The best part of all is that Cora and Bryant are still young enough to where they really don't care if we wake up earlier and they really have enjoyed the studies so far.  I thought this might be something a lot of people would like to do a better job at, so that is why I am sharing our plan.

I was torn in two ways for this year/month.  I also reserve the right to study any topic at any time I see fit!  I think it is always a good idea to change things to fit your family's needs.  Also, on a side note, Bryant, Cora, and I all started a "read the book of mormon in a year program" back in the beginning of November so we are doing daily reading of the BOM even though there is not a lot of BOM reading in this month's plan.  The Friend magazine from January has an entire year's plan to read through the Old Testament which is awesome.  I love all of those old stories and am so excited to go through the scriptures and read them all with my kids!  But then I looked at the Primary 2014 Sharing Time Guide thingy and it is also awesome.  It is all about teaching about Christ and Eternal Families and I wanted to do it all.  So my plan incorporates them both together.  Monday through Thursday is Old Testament Stories and Friday's are "Primary Focus Day" where you Focus on the Primary theme of the month.

So how we do each study session is we begin with a prayer and then start with an Article of Faith.  We work on a new one each month. This month is #4 for us.  I also ask the kids to recite a couple of other ones to keep their memories fresh.  Then, we do a "scripture of the month."  It is a scripture we are working on memorizing.  For Dec. we did Moroni 7:45. I do not know why, but it was SO hard to memorize.  Anywho, this year, I think we are going to memorize the Primary scripture of the month each month.  So we recite that.  Then we read the assigned reading.  The assigned reading is sometimes just one verse, and sometimes several.  It just depends.  I try to ask questions and discuss.  This whole process usually takes 15-20 minutes.  I can skip the Article of Faith and the "SOTM" if I have to (but that is really the kids' favorite part) if we are running late and cut it to 8-10 mins.

Alright, here it is:

January: Primary theme:  Learning about the Saviour

January memorization scripture

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in

him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Article of Faith #4

Week 1 Plan of Salvation

Dec 30-Moses 1:39

Dec 31-Abraham 3:12

Jan 1   -Abraham 3:22-28

Jan 2   -Abraham 4:1

Jan 3   -(Primary focus day) How we can follow Jesus’ example John 13:14-15

Week 2 The Creation

Jan 6   -Genesis 1:1-15

Jan 7   -Genesis 1:16-24

Jan 8   -Genesis 1:25-31

Jan 9   -Genesis 2:1-3

Jan 10  -(Primary focus day) How we can follow Jesus’ example Matthew 5:1-2

Week 3 Adam and Eve

Jan 13  -Genesis 2: 7-9

Jan 14  -Genesis 2: 15-18

Jan 15  -Genesis 2: 19-22

Jan 16  -Genesis 2: 23-25

Jan 15  -(Primary focus day) How we can follow Jesus’ example Luke 15:4

Week 4 The Fall

Jan 20  -Genesis 3: 1-6

Jan 21  -Genesis 3: 7-12

Jan 22  -Genesis 3: 13-18

Jan 23  -Genesis 3: 19-24

Jan 24  -(Primary focus day) How we can follow Jesus’ example 3 Nephi 17 1-10

Week 5 Cain and Abel

Jan 27  -Genesis 4: 1-4

Jan 28  -Genesis 4: 5-8

Jan 29  -Genesis 4: 9-12

Jan 30  -Genesis 4: 13-16

Jan 31  -(Primary focus day) How we can follow Jesus’ example Acts 10:38

Hopefully the kids like all of the Old Testament Stories!

Lately

We' ve been busy around here as of late.

A few weeks ago Erick's parent's came to town and Wesley had his baby blessing.  Here's all the cousins together from the Baker side, our kids and then the wonderful Rex and Alice.  It's so nice when they come to play.  Usually Rex is following Cora and Cash is following Rex.  Alice is always eating something, and then Bryant is usually off complaining in a corner somewhere hoping we'll cave in and just let him watch a movie (seriously, he does this at every single family event and holiday).

While Erick's parents were here I thought we would do something special so we went to Old Salem.  It was alright.  Cash didn't like it much so we mostly hung outside with Wesley and the stroller while every one toured.  Cash was kind of scared of all the old people dressed in period clothing.  Either way, it's always fun to spend time as a family.  Here's the family in front of an old something-or-other.

Cora has had her heart set on having Grandma Janette at her birthday for a LONG time.  So it worked out nicely that Grandma was able to come for her friend-party this year!  We did a "Fancy Nancy" party with manicures, bracelet making, facials, silly masks, fancy cup cakes, pizza and fancy princess drinks!  This picture was taken right before everyone started to arrive.  Cora was soooo excited!  Aunt Andrea and Uncle Mike came to help out too which was great because it turns out that five year olds making bracelets need help!  Mike did his job by holding Wesley the entire time.  The party was a great success! 

And since then school has started, which is fabulous.  I have time to clean my house again, I've even started going to a gym and doing classes (seriously, I hate the huge mirror at the front though...I feel like a stick figure drawing with all of these amazing looking ladies!), and am happy that I am actually keeping up!  I may only be using the 10lb kettle bell, but I'm keeping up till the end!  Anyways, It's fun.  I especially love the extra time I get with my two sweet, sweet little boys.  I love being able to focus on what Cash wants to do each day.  When the older kids are home, I have to cater more towards them and their friends, etc. but I love being able to tailor our days to Cash now that the older two are at school.  On the other hand Miss Cora is still claiming that she doesn't like school, and I do miss her a lot... so we'll see if we decide to stay in past Christmas.  Her teacher seems very nice but does not send home any home work, and I'm not sure about the level of teaching going on, so I'm having Cora do 3-5 reading lessons at home each week...because she WILL learn to read this year one way or another!  I'm starting to wonder about math...I'm going to be keeping an eye on what completed work they send home.

I'm also hoping to start some little preschool activities for Cash soon...anyways, that's what's been up with me lately!