This Past Week....

This past week in the Kim Home:

Monday- Angela had gymnastics. She was asked to join the 5280 Team 3! Huge deal! I thought she wouldn't get that invite for at least another year. Clearly, she is a hard worker and very talented! We have been trying it out this past week. The concern in the time it takes. So we have been checking in with ourselves as a family and with Angela if even with A LOT of time at the gym, we are still able to get all the essential things in (taken from Elder Oaks "Good, Better, Best" talk - personal scripture study, family scripture study, One-on-one time with mom and dad, Family home evening, family council, dinner together as a family, missionary work, service, etc - all those great essentials that truly make life BEST :)). Anyways,Angela has been working hard and it has been an amazing month. We seem to have done better than any other month on something - such as Angela's personal scripture study and one-on-one time with mom, and her reading has been better than ever!! Anyways, I am so happy that Angela has been SUCH a hard worker. And I love her love for gymnastics. I am BLOWN away that when I pick her up after THREE HOURS of gymnastics, she tells me she wants more gymnastics and goes home to do hours more of gymnastics around the house :) We love our gymnast!

Monday was also FHE. Some highlights: we played "Pie Face" with a wet sponge for the first time (big hit. Mom won, by the way :) Angela gave a great FHE lesson (idea from her Faith in God) about staying faithful after being baptized. She came up with it all by herself. When she was done excitement filled her sweet face as we talked about how the Holy Ghost helped her prepare her lesson! It was so wonderful! She played a game with us where we stood or sat with different good/bad choices she shared, she read a story from the "Friend," and she sang "I'll Seek the Lord Early" where we would find things we can do to stay faithful. How true it is that if we pray, listen and do what the prophets say, search the scriptures that we will be close to our Heavenly Father and be faithful. Thank you, Angela!! :)

Also, Monday was AMAZING because Andrew had no work!!!! He took me out on a date with Tommy to the Original Pancake House (yummy and Tommy loved pancakes with syrup). He picked the Emily Bemily up from Kindergarten. And Emily was pretty much in heaven with Daddy at home. They snuggled and watched "The Bee Movie" together and played "Sleeping Queens" together. Emily was a happy girl. We sure have the best dad ever.

Tuesday: Carolyn had an orchestra concert. I don't have a picture of it (silly me - I guess I was enjoying it too much :) She moved up a size in her violin recently and she is sounding beautifully!! Her violin teacher (Michelle Davis) is working with her to use her whole bow when playing and it is sounding just beautiful!!! Good job, Carolyn!! I love when you play!

Wednesday: New Beginnings in Young Womens for mom and Activity days for Angela and Carolyn. Emily also planned her big SIX year old PAR-TAY!!! She wants a Moana party and it's going to basically be awesome! It's in a couple of weeks! Lots of pictures and videos to come!! Can't wait to celebrate Emy's life!!! 

Thursday: Carolyn had drama club. Did I mention she is AREIL?!?!? She is working hard in her part (already has 1/4 of the play memorized) and she is such a talented actress! She started play practice at the beginning of the month and will have play practice SIX HOURS (isn't that an INSANE amount of time for an elementary school play practice?!?!! Or any sorta of school play practice?!?!) until their May performance!!! We love our Ariel!! One thing I also love about Carolyn is her sincere love for life. When I pick her up from school she is genuinely happy and so excited to share about her day at school.

Also, on Thursday we had the Halls over. We have had them over just about every week this month to have discussions with the missionaries. They are such a sweet family (Justin, Sarah, and two really cute boys) and Justin is getting baptized on February 4th!!!! We are so happy. It was been amazing having them in the home and feeling the Holy Ghost during the discussions. Justin is such an example to me. While the missionaries teach him I can't help but think of my ancestors like James Ross and Thomas Evans who first found and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and now I am so blessed because of it! Justin's descendants will revere his name.

Friday: Emily wrote her Primary talk about making good choices. Carolyn went to her good friend, Madeleine's house, Angela had gymnastics. Emily brought home a really funny book from the library that we have been loving ("Elephant is allergic to pigs") we went to watch one of my Mia Maids play volleyball (love my Mia Maid). When we all got home from our activities, we ate dinner together and ended the day with a good family game of "YAHTZEE" - Emily and Daddy's team won.

Saturday: Saturdays are my favorite!! Let's see....we went and watched my YW play basketball (Carolyn, Angela, Emily are obsessed with her babysitter, Charli. Charli's dad called them "Charli's Fan Club" - perfect name for them). We worked on homework together (see picture below of Carolyn working on her Science program :) Angela got her Market Day all done (pictures to come!! :) Emily Bemy and Angela did gymnastics together A LOT. They made some cute sister movies. We played "SORRY" (Mom win again :) with Emily in second, Angela in third and Carolyn in last), we had a work party (the girls room was OUT OF CONTROL. They got it in control and that was amazing. The girls are now ending their day with a "sister Show"

 I loved the paper Carolyn brought home about her winter break. My favorite part of the paper was when she wrote that she got a whole bunch of games for Christmas and we spent every day off of school playing them. Such good times. Only like 330 days until it comes again, right?!