Who's Been Eating My Poridge?

Pictures by Bryce

Arrow of Light

Last week, Bryce was awarded the "Arrow of Light" award in cub scouts. This is the highest award in cub scouting. He has worked very hard to earn this award. He also has amazing scout leaders who have encouraged him and helped him learn and accomplish many new things. Thank you, Brother and Sister Hatch!


Bryce learned about fitness, being a good citizen, first-aid, enjoying the outdoors, woodworking, sports, mental skills, and more. He participated in activities that reinforced these skills. So far, he has earned 16 Webelos activity badges. Collin has been serving as his den chief. He enjoyed working with the webelos den and they really loved him, too. Brother and Sister Hatch have spoken very highly of him as a leader.



A good friend of our family, Brother Taggart, presented the Arrow of Light to Bryce. He talked about young heroes in history: Sacajawea, Joan of Arc, and Joseph Smith. He told Bryce that he was developing the same qualities as these individuals as he works in scouting.


We are so proud of you, Bryce!! We love you!!

Nature....Continued

Today while I was driving, the rays of the sun reached down and penetrated through the window. As I felt the warmth on my face, I had that same peaceful, full-of-love feeling as I did yesterday while watching the drip. Another gift.

Nature's Secret

While I sat eating my lunch this afternoon, I picked up a book and read:
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
This is one stanza of a poem by William Wordsworth. As I read it, I was struck by the power in nature to quiet our thoughts. I dreamily stared out my window and began watching a drip of water fall from the roof. As I watched this simple process, my mind became still and I felt immense peace and joy, even being brought to tears. I began to wonder if that tiny drip enjoyed falling so fast and so far. I wondered if it felt a thrill like dropping from the top of a roller coaster. I was sure that the water was happy. My favorite author, M. Catherine Thomas, wrote: "Throughout the history of the earth, Man comes and goes tending to his daily life in the midst of Nature and, though from time to time he is distracted by her beauty, he rarely sees into her secret." William Wordsworth saw that secret. I started to see into it today. I plan to spend more time this year understanding why all Creation was made. I hope to take more time watching the birds fly, the leaves dance, and the sun smile. Then I will smile and enjoy the air I breathe.

My Family Is Awesome!

Yes, they are. The term may be out of date, but it describes how I feel about my amazing husband and children. On Sunday, Nathan sat down and interviewed each child. They spent quite a bit of time and came up with goals in 4 areas: physical, spiritual, intellectual, and social. (I didn't get an interview. I'm not sure if I can make any resolutions. It's that word: resolute. It's so.....rigid.) Anyway,last night for Family Home Evening we just chatted about our goals. We each expressed our biggest challenge and how members of the family can be supportive. We all felt empowered when we knew that we weren't alone, but had the support of the collective group. And wouldn't you know, we were all able to get up early today and tackle those challenges. Speaking for myself, I don't think I would have gotten up early to study and exercise if it wasn't for last night's exchange. So, to my family: I LOVE YOU ALL!!! You are AWESOME!!!

Here are a few pics from the holidays: