{ I Will Rise- African Style }
” He lives, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind, whose Atonement came as an act of grace for the entire world. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has brought meaning to our mortal existence. He has given us the gift of eternal life. God be thanked for the gift of His Son, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the Prince of Life and Peace, the Holy One.”
~Gordon B. Hinckley
Happy Easter my friends.
Music Stick Tutorial
We’ve always loved hands-on toys around here. You know, the kind that you have to interact with to get it to work. So, I knew when I saw a picture of this pretty little “music stick” that we’d need to give it a try.
The idea is so simple, a two-year-old can use it. It works like this…
Your child slides the washers up to the top of the threaded metal rod then lets them go.
As the washers spin and twirl down to the bottom, they make a lovely, tinkling sound–almost like a rain stick–only softer. Quite pleasant, really.
Now the really nice part. It went together in less than 5 minutes. No kidding. Seriously, the hardest part for me was walking in to Home Depot and trying to act like I knew what I was doing. I finally just handed the list to one of the workers and they gathered up all the stuff for me. :}
You’ll need:
1/2 by 4-inch threaded eyebolt
Teflon plumber’s tape
1/2 inch all-thread rod, 24 or 36 inches long
1/2 inch coupling nut
1/2 inch locknut
10-15 1/2 inch washers
Directions:
1. Wrap a piece of Teflon tape around the end of the eyebolt and both ends of the rod. This will help it all stay screwed together over time.
2. Take the eyebolt…
and screw it to the coupling nut.
3. Screw the rod to the other end of the coupling nut.
4. Slide the washers onto the rod.
5. Secure the locknut to the bottom–and you’re finished.
Now hang it from a post or tree or–in this case–the top of my canopy bed, and turn the kiddos loose with it.
They’ll be enthralled, captivated, amazed and surprised at just how fun it is to play with.
So will you.
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All Flowers
One Mother’s Day about 23 years ago, when all these little dudes looked like this—my sister and I had a brilliant idea. We lined most of our kids up by the hearth at mom’s house and had them sing. Oh, my did they sing! To my memory, they sang every Mother’s Day song ever written but ended with mom’s favorite–“I Often Go Walking.”
“I often go walking in meadows of clover,
And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.
I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over,
Dear Mother, all flowers remind me of you.
Oh Mother, I give you my love with each flower
To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through
For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,
I learn how to love them, dear Mother, from you.”
–Phyllis Luch
At the end, all these little sweethearts handed her a tiny flower. It was beautiful and the best part about it was that…she cried. That always meant it was the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
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Positively Les Misérables
Just watched the Les Mis 25th Anniversary on PBS…and I’m completely speechless…or…nearly completely speechless.
It was amazing and just as incredible as it was when we saw the show 15 years ago.
Oh, yeah…and I’m completely in love with Alfie Boe–the star. Pretty sure I’d like to marry him. Except I hear he already has a wife. Rats…my luck.
At the end of the Anniversary show–they gathered up some of the very best performers that have every played the main part and had them sing together. Oh. MY.
Check it out…