Patriotic Program & Blue Ribbons

Another year, another Patriotic Program and State Parade. Natalie was the performer today. But first, Corey and I took our morning ride to the Ruins. We started at trailhead cause we didn't leave until 7 (C slept in and I had to get back the program) but I enjoyed my quiet morning time. I got in 20 minutes of stretching while I read my scriptures and waited for him. On the ride today, I got up the hill after the 3rd bridge, yay. Haven't gotten that one yet this season. It was a shorter ride but totally hit the spot, it was good. Then to the school for the program. It was great. I left Peter and Katharine home with Hyrum, so I actually heard it all. This is one program that I do enjoy going to. The part where the kids sing the Armed Forces medley is always my favorite part. Seeing the audience members who served in the armed forces stand up when their song is sung gets me choked up everytime. 

After the program, they gave awards for the Granite Grizzley and the Young American, and Natalie got both! The Young American is one that is especially challenging, but she did it! 

She was proud to be the first Wride GIRL to earn this award (Ethan and Wesley got it too). She hopes that she set a good example for Katharine. Good job Natalie! 

So on a date night a few weeks ago, all of the kids minus Natalie were downstairs watching Space Jam, this totally stupid and pointless cartoon movie, and while they were wasting away their lives, Natalie was upstairs going above and beyond. Yes, on a free time Friday night, SHE was upstairs memorizing the Gettysburg Address! After Corey and I got home, and we turned off the tv and gathered kids for scriptures, we pointed out the contrast. Not to give the kids a lecture, it was just funny, and we wanted to give Natalie a shoutout for having a goal and working so hard to achieve it, even if it interfered with her date night relaxation. Go go Natalie! She is going to achieve great things. Then it was outside for the state float pararde. Natalie did everything for her float too. She used our overhead projector thing to trace a picture of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. 

So that was awesome. Natalie, good job! We're very proud of you! I remember memorizing the Gettysburg address with Ethan, and reviewing it again with Wesley. This time Natalie wanted to memorize it with the help of a youtube song version of it on "I Memorized That". After a few listens through, it grew on me and I really liked it! I listened to it over and over again on an errand to Costco and man, it got me choked up too, especially the link "shall not have died in vain..." It was fun to re-memorize that with her though that song. These were all the requirements for the Young American Award:

• Write the Pledge of Allegiance and define the important terms
• Sing or say the National Anthem
• Recite the preamble to the Constitution
• Recite the Gettysburg Address
• Recite the US Presidents in order
• Label a map with all states and capitals
• Recite/explain the main points of each ammendment in the Bill of Rights
• Complete and essay or project about "Why I'm proud ot be an American" (one page essay or project approved by teacher, Wes did an essay)
• Make a poster on Respect

So in addition to Natalie being an achiever, we did good today at not allowing our kids to be slackers.  The boys have a clean room, they made their beds, Owen is here reading to Peter - 

And actually they ALL have clean rooms and the whole main floor is amazingly clean. The kids all did great! Just look at the level of achievement they attained unto tonight! Everyone got ALL their tasks done - 100%! All BLUES!

Hyrum wanted to do purple for 100%, but I said blue, cause it's like a blue ribbon! Hyrum also did some magic functions to the spreadsheet so it will made the different colors based on what number it is at. He learned how to do that spreadsheet magic at school. Very cool. Hyrum was a good enforrcer today. Go team. We did follow through with Corey's threat from last night and we didn't go on a date (but we did go to Aubergine for lunch, it was great, and I like eating earlier anyway!) and instead we stayed home and felt like we had some down time to catch up on life a bit. Corey helped Daniel finish practicing his music from yesterday. 

It was a good productive start to a good weekend. Tomorrow is the last day of soccer games for the boys. I feel like we're headed into the weekend on top of our game, and NOT trying to catch up on anything, so should be good!