What Freedom Means to Me

Every year our local Lions Club hosts an essay contest for Junior and High School students on the topic "What Freedom Means to Me." Bon Bon decided to enter. She sat at the computer for ten minutes and typed the following out. She won first place! We went to the Lions Club 4th of July event at the park yesterday where she had to read her essay, get her picture taken, and receive her prizes ($100 Chamber check, one year subscription to the paper). Photos of our weekend follow the essay.


"Freedom is one my favorite words in the English language. It is what each of us live for, and what many people live to achieve.

"Freedom to me means the ability to voice my opinions. Everyone has a voice, but very few get the opportunity to use them.

"Freedom to me means I have the right to defend my liberty if I choose to do so, against those attempting to take away.

"Freedom to me means I have my own agency to choose, one of the most basic rights given to man in the beginning.

"Freedom to me means the reason the pilgrims came across the Atlantic in the Mayflower, the freedom to worship as they saw fit. That is a very important part of my life.

"Freedom to me means equal rights to all American citizens, male and female, whether white, black, or somewhere in between.

"Freedom to me means that we have laws that help us do right, because without a clean conscience we cannot really be free.

"Freedom to me means a good government system, the best in the world, that is governed by the people, and for the people.

"Freedom to me means gratitude to the God that has blessed us with such a beautiful country, and to those who help us retain it, in big ways or small.

"Freedom to me means courage. It means the bravery of everyone who chooses to stand up and say no, everyone with the courage to become a hero.

"Freedom means that when I am old enough, I can choose my own profession. I decide where I live, and who I marry. Others in the world don’t have that privilege.

"And yet freedom is not free. It means the “Ultimate Sacrifice” of thousands of men and women on the battle field. It means the grief and the pain of the family and friends of the casualties of war, those who died protecting the liberty of not only Americans, but of everyone, of every nationality.

"To use the inspired words of Francis Scott Key, in the last verse of our National Anthem.

"Oh, thus be it ever
When free men shall stand
Between their loved homes
And the war’s desolation
Blest with victory and peace
May the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made
And preserved us a nation!

"Then conquer we must
When our cause it is just
And this be our motto:
In God is our trust!
And the star-spangled banner
In triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free
And the home of the brave

"Freedom to me, means America."

Here's our July 4th celebrations in picture form.

Playing with tractors

Eating good food

Being Cute

Setting Fireworks

Special Dark making circles with sparklers.

Cookie twirling her sparklers.

Fudge spelling her name.

Playing Human Rubberband

Even the big boys had fun!

Grandpa gave the grandkids rides with his horse and carriage.

Patriotic hair-dos

Listened to Bon Bon say her essay at the park.

Patriotism FHE

Read about the prophecies Nephi made in the Book of Mormon concerning the choice land of America. Ideas on teaching patriotism to your children are also included in this family home evening lesson.

For best printing results download and save the file to your computer, then print. To save click on More (next to Scribd on the upper left), then choose save file.
Patriotism FHE

Publish at Scribd or explore others: family home evening Book of Mormon

Intermission

in-ter-mis-sion [in-ter-mish-uhn]

–noun
1.a short interval between the acts of a play or parts of a public performance, usually a period of approximately 10 or 15 minutes 1 or 2 months, allowing the performers and audience a rest.
2.a period during which action temporarily ceases; an interval between periods of action or activity: They studied for hours without an intermission.


Yup, as you've probably noticed posting has slowed down considerably around here. I'm going to be taking the month of July, maybe August, off from the blogging world. This is self-imposed as I try to concentrate on teaching my children as much as possible before baby arrives in October. I have some articles written and scheduled to post throughout the month of July. The family home evening lessons will continue. After the last patriotic one next week there will be a few pioneer ones to prepare for Pioneer Day on July 24th. Some homeschooling organization posts will also show up periodically as well as some crafts. I will only be checking my e-mail about every couple of days and blogs about once a week.

Wordfull Wednesday will resume in September. The winner for June's Wordfull Wednesday is Aimee from Adventures and Pursuits!

Since Aimee has recently discovered a love of sewing and quilting, here's what she'll be getting.



A complete kit to make this American Flag wall hanging from Nauvoo Quilt Co.

I think I want to order one for me too!

Congrats Aimee!

See you for "real" in August, or maybe September. I may enjoy the break so much that it'll be extended. =) For now the plans are only for July though.

Preamble to the US Constitution FHE

Learn about the Preamble to the US Constitution in this family home evening lesson. Based on a family home evening supplement printed by the LDS Church to celebrate the Bicentennial of the Constitution in 1987.

For best printing results download and save the file to your computer, then print. To save click on More (next to Scribd on the upper left), then choose save file.
Preamble to the Constitution

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Non-fiction family home evening US Constitution

Peanut Butter Blondies

I have a brother who harbors a soft spot for all things peanut butter. These bars are so delicious. They are pretty sweet and definitely calm the peanut butter craving.

Peanut Butter Blondies

2/3 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/3 cups (10 oz package) Reese's Bits - they are mini Reese's Pieces
Chocolate Brownie Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 325. In a large bowl beat butter, sugars, and peanut butter until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in milk. Add flour and baking powder,mix thoroughly. Stir in 1 cup baking bits. Spread batter into a greased 9x13 cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare Chocolate Brownie Frosting.


Chocolate Brownie Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1/4 cup cocoa
1 TBSP. corn syrup
2 TBSP. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup, milk and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar beating well. Spread over cooled Peanut Butter Blondies.

Tie Dyed T-Shirts

The summer reading program with our local library has officially begun. We are very lucky to have the bookmobile come to our house every other Monday. During the reading program there is an activity for the kids to do every time it comes. The first week they colored their own hacky-sack balls. This past Monday we tie-dyed!

The first photo is an example of how to create spiral/swirl design. The next one is Special Dark's which will have many bull's eyes. The last photo is Semisweet's patriotic bull's eye. It was hard to wait 24 hours before we could take the rubber bands off to see our designs.

Truffle with her very vibrant spiral tie-dye shirt!

I loved looking at these hanging on the line to dry.

I ♥ Faces Kids: Week 24 Let's Hear it For the Boys

The Band-Aid Bandit

This little guy just cracks me up. He begged for weeks for us to get him a cowboy hat. He'd go up to his dad and very sweetly and solemnly say, "You have a cowboy hat. Cousin David has a cowboy hat," and then shaking his head slowly while looking very sad, "but I don't have a cowboy hat."

He was extremely excited when I pulled up to the feed store. He knew we were there to get his cowboy hat. He marched right into the store heading directly to the back where the hats were. Never mind he'd only ever been in there once before. He remembered exactly where they were from that first visit. He tried on several that were too small. This one fit just right. He couldn't stop grinning at himself in the mirror and it was nearly impossible to get the hat back off so the clerk could scan the tag. He insisted on wearing it the whole 45 minute drive home, which was a difficult task considering the brim wouldn't allow him to sit all the way back so he leaned as far forward as the buckles on his car seat allowed. Mighty uncomfortable looking to me.

A couple of nights ago he came sauntering into the living room wearing his boots, Wranglers, hat and two band-aids.

"Did you get an owie?" I asked.

"Nope. Now I look like uncle Ammon." Ammon sports a mustache and goatee. How Special Dark thought to use band-aids I'll never know.



I ♥ Faces is celebrating boys this week. Go visit and check out all the entries.