* Had some ups and downs with our Boise House! The inspection showed that the upstairs carpets had dog urine soaked in it (Yuck!) and that the toilets needed some attention by a Professional Plumber. We agreed to bring the purchase price down $3K and have a plumber come in and check out all 3 toilets.
* Dad left to Gillette on Tuesday and returned home Thursday night
* Nathan's last Pack Meeting as a Webelo! He did the Bridge Ceremony and crossed over to the 11 Year Old Scout troop. He's pretty excited about it!
* All of the kids had Dentist appointments. Everyone was cavity free! However, X-rays showed that Nathan's permanent Canine teeth (that haven't come in yet) are sitting at a diagonal and if left to their own will either (1) never come down because they'll get stuck on his other teeth or (2) they'll come in and mess up the alignment of all of his other top teeth (which are all currently nice and straight). So... we're going back in a week and he will have both of his Canine's extracted and then we'll be meeting with an Orthodontist to get some brackets on to keep that space open and hopefully encourage the permanent canines to come down straight
* Ben had a Doctors appointment this week for his Anxiety. This is something that he has struggled with for many years (we noticed signs of it back when he was about 7). We didn't want him to not be equipped with resources and strategies as he continues to grow and go out into the world and so we've been praying about what we (as his parents can do) and we felt that it was time to take him to a professional to see what options we have. He met with our General Practitioner and after she spent an hour with him, just talking and hearing him describe his ailments, it was clear to her that he definitely did have classic signs of Anxiety coupled with Obsessive thoughts. Ben wanted to try some medication to see if that would help him and now we are working on getting him into a Therapist that will help teach him coping mechanisms and strategies that will help him throughout life. He is feeling really hopeful - as are we all!
* Ben had Cale over on Friday night
* Fed the Missionaries - Elders Muhlestein from Washington and Jenkins from Utah
* Nathan turned ELEVEN!!! We went out to the Pizza Ranch for his Birthday Lunch. He had also requested French Toast Bake and Bacon for his Birthday Breakfast. We reminisced about his birth all those years ago and looked through his baby book and scrapbook. He put his grandparents money on a new game being released next month - Shadows of War. And then we got the newly remastered Batman game, some Air-soft BB's (that he and Ben spent many hours out playing with!) a nerf gun, another pistol, some socks and treats. I can't believe that he's growing up so quickly - BUT he still has those super soft cheeks (and more importantly, still lets mom kiss on them!!)
In Our Homeschool This Week...
* Scriptures, Enrichments (Priorities, Daniel and the Lions Den, Why we Fast, Doing Good)
* Family Read Aloud, Bedtime Read aloud each night
* People/Things we studied together this week:
- Gladys Aylward and all the good she did for the Chinese Orphans
- Caravaggio, the famous painter
- George Fredric Handal and listened to parts of his famous Opera - The Messiah
- The Pony Express (Buffalo Bill and Pony Bob and their Perseverance)
- The Transcontinental Railroad
- Abraham Lincoln
- Navy Seals (how to become one, their training and what missions they go on)
- Learned about Sylvester Stallone and how he wrote the script for the movie Rocky and how he overcame obstacles to live out his Dream! This led into a discussion about the Dreams each of the kids have and what they can be doing today to help them get closer to those dreams. Ben's dream was to become a published Author, Nathan's was to be a Veterinarian, Aubrie's was to be a famous Artist and Lexi's was to become a famous Baker :)
* Math Games and Word Problems. We also spent time learning about Factoring and Greatest/Least Common Factors
* Some of the most fun we had this week was taking our lessons/learning to the RIVER!!
August in Nebraska...
* It's almost been 4 months since August headed down to Nebraska! We sure do miss him but know he is in wonderful hands being there with Grandma and Grandpa!
* He signed up and took the A+ Certification test! He's been preparing all summer for this and to pass you have to get a minimum of a 90% on it! Sadly, he was a few points off but was so close! He is determined to pass it this week and has been studying the parts that he struggled with! We know he can do it!
* He also had a big job interview (for an IT job) with The Buckle. We're hoping things work out positively for him there as well and he is offered a position!
Seth Spotlight...
* The package we sent 2 months ago finally arrived - yay!!
* Another Baptism (the mother of the little boy that was baptized a few weeks ago)
* Left his umbrella on the bus and it's still raining pretty much every day! He's on the look out for another one!
* A dog snuck up behind him and bit him! He was happy that it didn't put a hole in his pants - but it did break the skin
* He hit is ONE YEAR MARK!! He left last September 14th! Can't believe it's been over a year! With this milestone passing, I asked him this question:
"So, with you hitting your 1 year mark this week... can you pinpoint 1 experience that was a changing moment or defining moment in your mission thus far?" He answered with: "Well not like 1 experience, but I think the thing that has hit the hardest is when you work really hard for someone so they can have a testimony and can get baptized and then go inactive really soon afterward. Up until a bit ago( since it's what lot's of people always just wanted), we tried baptizing as fast and as much as we could - but now I'm trying harder for each person so they can truly gain a testimony and see what baptism really means."
Spiritually Speaking...
Hey, it's Ben! My mom has asked me to do the Spiritually Speaking for this week- so please bare with me.
So, this past Friday during Seminary, we were talking about Nephi being transfigured up to this mountain and seeing the future of the promise land. And for this, my teachers printed out this sheet that basically explained each vision he had- such as the Revolutionary war, Columbus discovering America, the Pilgrims, etc. . . And it was right while we were reading all of this where the spirit really touched me and there was no doubt in my mind that The Book Of Mormon is completely-totally true. It's so cool knowing that, and I'd like to bare my testimony that Seminary/Institute is truly asked for by Heavenly Father, and I can't urge the importance of it. I say- or write- these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen
- Ben Vogt (15)
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Nathan's (Back to School) Father's Blessing
Nathan Mark Harry Vogt, by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood which I hold, I lay my hands upon your head and give you a blessing at this time as you embark upon your school year.
Nathan, I bless you that you will have the gift of Patience this year and that you would not get exasperated. I bless you that you will not be frustrated and you will have the attitude of moving ahead and forging forward. You will continue to learn well and so many doors will be opened to you this year. As you continue to grow with your reading, your retention and your ability to comprehend - this will help develop a love that will last your lifetime -a love for reading!
I bless you with the ability to not get discouraged and the ability to have a thirst for knowledge. Know that your Father in Heaven loves you so much. Seek Him out through your scripture study and through your prayers. This blessing I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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