Myriam's Lessons

Myriam has taken off with the piano this summer.

Every day she passes off half of a simplified hymn to earn her lunch.

She even pushes herself in her spare time to learn the real hymns.

Myriam is the only one I've ever put into swimming lessons.

She took from a local seminary teacher's wife at their house and loved it.

We always just get a year pass to the local high school pool 

and go a couple of times a week as a family.

I give the kids informal lessons... 

they just get used to the water and play a lot.

Another form of lessons for Myriam is reading classics.

She is an avid reader and loves to read out of "the best books."

In order to keep up with her and Sadie, 

Donny and I started a monthly book club with them.

A few of their friends have joined too.

(This couch just happened to have all the girls)

Memorial day weekend, grandma Myrjam Anneli (who Myriam is named after)

had us over to her house to teach us how to cook a few Finnish dishes.

Afterwards, we went to the Cemetary and I got a cute picture of the two together.

They both are such sweet and loving people.

Myriam is also getting ripstick lessons from Packer these days.

(He has taught everyone- even mom!) 

The Ripstick Challenge

Here is Packer on his 8th Birthday-

at Pineview Reservoir with his new ripstick.

Packer earned this ripstick by being diligent in many areas.

We set up a challenge for him in areas he struggles with

(rather than giving him a fifty jobs)

He stayed DRYat night for 21 days in a row,

He ate NO SUGAR for 21 days in a row,

He READ a classic ('Number the Stars")
and he JUMPED off the diving board.

Sadie's Activities

 Last week, Packer accidentally hit Sadie with a rock

while we were skipping rocks down by the river bottoms.

It was a small cut, but it scared us because of how much it was bleeding.

 She ended up getting one staple in her head.

She was shocked by how little that hurt.

Sadie has been wanting a mountain bike lately.

She searched KSL diligently to find a used mountain bike.

Donny found one at the DI and gave it to her for her birthday.

It's been quite an education for him- repairing and tuning it up.

(And almost as expensive as just buying a new one)

Tyler, Sadie's friend in the bike picture above, 

is loaning her horse to Sadie-

They share it for free weekly horse lessons from Sister Moore.

Last night, Sister Moore let Donny join in the lessons.

INDEXING

Today Sadie, Myriam, and I joined the big 1940 indexing challenge.

We did 5 batches altogether. 

The church more than doubled it's 5 million names.

My mom got us started a few months ago and it has been fun to join the project.

Since then, we have been diligently indexing a little bit every day=

"By small and simple means shall great things be brought to pass."

My favorite part of it is how excited they are to be able to go the temple

in just a few years and be a part of the work of salvation,