Cub Scout Leaders

I have been a cub scout den leader for two years now. Julianne Hoose and I have been the den leaders over the wolves and bears (8 and 9 year olds), but Julianne has been a leader for about 5 years. It was great to have her as the other den leader with me. Bob Olsen has been a Webelos leader for at least 2 years, I am sure much longer then that but he was in there when I first got put in there. Michael Johanson has been the other Webelos leader for probably a year now. It has been really nice having the four of us because we are all dedicated to the program and show up every week ready to help the teach these boys.

When I first got put in, I had NO idea what was going on. But it has been fun to learn and really enjoy the Cub Scout program. Chris has either had another meeting or has had to teach a class every Wednesday so Matthew and Allison have always come with me and Matthew has always thought that he was just one of the boys. I have really liked what Cub Scouts teaches the boys and what they get to do but in our church pack the boys don't get to join until they are 8 years old. I decided that since Matthew loved doing it so much and so did I, I would put him in a school pack when he was six or first grade. I have enjoyed learning about what Cub Scouts is all about and I am sure this won't be the last time I am in Cub Scouts.

The Sticker Project

My friend lives in Argentina right now and says that stickers are a rare thing there. She would like to make Christmas for many children with the help of us sending her stickers. Here is her blog post about it:

The Sticker Project

A few years ago, my little family started a tradition. 

Every Christmas Eve, we do a service project.  Afterwards, we come home to a ‘humble feast’ (a beautiful idea that an old visiting teaching companion of mine gave me).

This tradition is something we look forward to.  It brings the true spirit of Christmas into our hearts, and more than anything else, it teaches my children how to serve. 

If I have taught my children to serve, I have taught them happiness.

This year we live in Argentina.  We have an opportunity to help in a big way.  We have a goal to take a Christmas gift to 50 children (ages 10 & under) that will most likely not get anything otherwise.

I have teamed up with a few of Santa’s elves (disguised as LDS missionaries).  Our list is climbing.  Do you want to help us??  You would?!!  Okay, here’s the plan.

We are trying to put together 50 paper bags  - each filled with one mandarin orange and STICKERS!  Stickers are prized possessions here in these parts of Argentina – difficult to find and very expensive.

So will you please send me a few sheets of stickers?  I can get them in a few weeks if you follow these three simple steps.

1.  Get an envelope.  (No larger than a standard 4  1/8”  X 9  1/2”.  You could also use a standard greeting card size envelope.)

2.  Put stickers in it, preferably clean sticker sheets that haven’t been used.  (Keep it simple.  No more than one stamp’s worth.)

3.  Send it to me (the address below) on or before December 1st.

Jared & Sharee Wolfley

139 E. South Temple, Suite 110

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

I know it’s a Utah address, but don’t worry.  All of our standard mail is sent to this address and then forwarded (FedEx) to our Argentina address.  Anything other than standard envelopes will not make it to us, but thank you, thank you anyway if you’re thinking bigger than this.

Here are a few of the faces on our list so far.

Juan Cruz, age 2                                     

Geronimo, age 9

Gabanna, age 3

Can you feel that little tinge in your heart?  I will be posting pictures each day of more children that need Christmas.  Please help us!  You won’t regret it.

Love, Sharee

We just sent some envelopes with stickers inside and I hope you can also!! What a simple and touching thing she is doing.

Family Pictures (taken by us)

I have been told that the best time to take pictures outside is right at sunset. Well, I really wanted to get these pictures done so that I could get our yearly photo. I have a good enough camera so we tried to just do it ourselves.
We had Thanksgiving dinner at the church and then we got home, changed and went to the park for pictures. They didn't exactly turn out the way I wanted them to. I always wish that I could take the pictures for our family.
Though we have a timer it just isn't the same. Here are the pictures we got. We definitely needed to start earlier, that is for sure.
It started to get too late and then the sky turned a pretty blue in the pictures but it just didn't work very well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too Many Pies?

I have learned that Thanksgiving means pies. That is the only time of year that I ever make a pie. Well I have seen a lot of pies lately that I have thought I would like to make and taste of course I don't want to make all of them and eat all of them.

Thanksgiving came up and I had plans to make a few of our favorites like, peanut butter pie and lemon pie. Last year I made four pies for just our little family of 4 and then ended up going to the church to have dinner with a few other families. I sort of got a reputation for making pies.

This year there were more families getting together at the church again. I volunteered to make some pies. More and more families were starting to say they were coming and I sort of already said that I would bring the pie. It all sort of snowballed. Like I said earlier I have had these recipes that I had wanted to make and so I was making a list of some.

In the end I made 16 pies. 13 of them were all different.

So I made:

2 - Pecans

2- Peanut Butter

2 - Raspberry Cream

1 - Classic Pumpkin

1 - Creamy Pumpkin 

(I had hopes and tasting them side by side to see which recipe I liked more however I didn't, AND I didn't label them at all so even if I would have liked a specific kind I wouldn't have known which one is was.)

1 - Banana Cream

1 - Pistachio (McNiven family favorite)

1 - Oreo

1 - French Silk

1 - Luscious Lemon

1 - German Chocolate

1 - Symphony Chocolate 

1 - Coconut Cream

I even made little labels for them so people would know without having to ask me. Some were obvious like pumpkin or pecan or oreo but a few were questionable.

To my defense, there were over 60 people that showed up to eat so it was to feed everyone. HOWEVER I did have to send lots of pie home with people so that it didn't all come to our house for it to end up on us.

I enjoyed making them and didn't make any REALLY involved ones like Apple pie or anything but I probably won't be making some of these pies again unless they are asked for specifically.

I enjoyed tasting little slivers of all of these on the table and not having to have it all at our house.

It was a fun Thanksgiving dinner.

"Popped His Top"

In Matthew's school, Johnson Elementary, they have a program for their first graders. First grade is when they start getting to do Accelerated Readers. They take a test at the beginning of the year to determine the level of books that he can check out. Matthew' results were that he can read 2.6-3.6 levels which is second grade, sixth month to third grade, sixth month books. Apparently he is at a 98 percentile level for the nation or something like that. He is a pretty good little reader which is fun. So in this program after they get tested they have to start reading and then taking tests on the books and he had to get 10 points to "Pop His Top". I guess had to read three of his books by himself but I didn't get that memo. I thought he had to read all of the books by himself.

He was very excited to be the first person to "Pop His Top" 

That means that he made his 10 points and then he gets to have this independent reader shirt and got his lemonade from Mrs. Taylor. Look at his smile. Then we went down to the library so that he could be on morning announcements. When it was his turn he got to open his can of lemonade "on tv" which is how the rest of the school watches morning announcements. He opened it and took some drinks of his lemonade. Then there was a class outside of the library that Matthew got to walk through as they cheered for him.

It is really cool for the kids. I am glad that he got to experience this.

This is the principal, Mrs. Happ. She is SO good. I love how involved she is with her school and how welcoming she has been to us. I can't say enough good things about her and there isn't a single bad thing that I can think about her. I am glad that she is Matthew's principal. I am learning that it can really make or break a school, depending on the principal.

Mrs. Kamy Taylor

She is such a great teacher. I just love having her.

I Like Him

I am not a very big flower type girl. I don't like flowers on Valentine's day because that is what you are suppose to do. I like a single rose just to show that I was thought about and it isn't all that expensive. 

My wonderful husband was thinking of me and stopped and bought me a single red rose not for any special occasion, just because he likes me.

I really like this guy.

KBTX News Station

For one of Matthew's den meetings we went to the local news station, KBTX. Being in Tiger scouts you have to have a parent with you but unfortunately that just means they are in the area, not actually having anything to do with their child. Trying to listen to the guy talking, was impossible and I felt so ashamed of the way the kids acted. I just kept Matthew away from all of the other ones boys so that he would not be tempted to talk to the others while the guy was trying to talk.

Then we went into the studio where all of the action happens and it was complete chaos. The kids were literally running around so excited and just being so loud. I could not believe that parents didn't care what their kids did. 

Besides all of the chaos, I thought it was cool to actually see a green screen and where all of the people sat to do their jobs. I was cool to cool to see it but chaotic. I was so glad that nothing got ruined and even more glad when we were done and left.

Matthew's Tiger den and den leader Greg Sparks

Bryan 1st Ward Visiting Teaching Conference 2012

Chris got home a little bit early from his class and I got to attend the Visiting Teaching Conference. I have really grown a testimony of the visiting teaching program and I really wanted to go to this.

Shawn Jensen and Kimberlee Miles

Kimberlee was the RS President when we moved into the ward and then later I got to work with her in the RS Presidency. She is such a great lady and takes care of everybody in the ward. She is also an excellent cook and we have been recipients of many delicious meals and goodies.

Brittany Bland had to give a little speech about the importance of visiting teaching. She is one of my closest friends in the ward. Our kids love playing with each other also which makes things easier.

Lola Petersen also spoke. When I was second counselor in the Relief Society Presidency 6 years ago she was the first counselor and when you serve with people that is when you get to love them so much. I have always enjoyed seeing Lola at church and everywhere I can. She is so sweet and so loving. I loved serving with her.

Linda Bennett, RS President

When we first moved into the ward she was the stake RS President. She has been the RS President in our ward for a couple years now, I think.

Good 'ol Bishop Glade addressing the Relief Society Sisters.

Babs Young, 1st Counselor in the RS Presidency, with little Megan.

Babs was actually the primary president when we moved into the ward. They had just moved into the ward about 3 months before we got here.

Current Relief Society Presidency:

Keri Patty (2nd)

Linda Bennett (Pres.)

Babs Young (1st)