Alive At 25 program…

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I started out my talk/lesson with these fairly well known math/physics formulas:

E=mc²

A²+b²=c²

∏r²= ?

V=u + at

F=ma

The older girls recognized most of them, maybe didn’t understand them, but had the basic idea. I was surprised to see the younger girls totally recognized the physics formulas? We talked a little bit about each one and what the symbols stood for.

I handed out a sheet with the Wikipedia quotes. I divided it into 6 different categories with quotes for each one.

• Knowledge of Self
• Experiential Knowledge
• Secular Knowledge
• Spiritual Knowledge
• Worldly Knowledge Pop Culture | Current Events | Politics | Natural Disasters
• Familial and Fraternal Knowledge

I asked the girls to read the quotes and then share with me which ones they liked the best and why? A couple I liked:

Knowledge of Self

“Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.” – Lao Tzu

“We must learn our limits. We are all something, but none of us are everything.” – Blaise Pascal

What beauty in those statements… We talked about making any decision. Big or Small.

• Choosing a candy bar amongst a giant wall of multiple varieties?
• Going to college, what to study, where to attend?
• Dividing your time wisely between school work, after school activities and down-time ‘hanging out’ with friends?

Knowing yourself first will help you learn to make decisions that will help you find happiness in the short and long term.

I KNOW I prefer chocolate and peanut butter in the same candy bar. So Yay for me! Helps me narrow my choice to one third of the candy bar aisle. Saving me time and increasing my overall enjoyment! (not to mention my waist)

Choosing which college was right for me was simple. I knew I wanted to study biology and affordability was a high priority. I was NOT cut out for BYU (wow that’s a whole blog post) and the University of Utah had a much better science department complete with the research I craved. Oh.. and a scholarship came through from the state school. No brainer. I knew myself and I knew where I was headed.

Worldly Knowledge

From the Bible:

“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” -  John 17: 14-17

And from an Elder in the LDS church

“There is a familiar phrase (Mormons often use): to be in the world, but not of the world. Our mortal existence is necessary to fulfill the plan of salvation. We must therefore live in this world, but we must also resist the worldly influences that are ever before us.”

This concept is generally shoved down the girl’s throats, so we skimmed over it.
But it’s true isn’t it? It’s hard living IN this world; and so much harder not being OF the world.

Used by it.

Trampled by it.

Addicted to it.

Influenced by it.

Resisting the worldly influences that are ever before us is exhausting work. It’s amazing to watch young kids who get this and shine. Who refuse to let the so called norms of the world dictate their values. (And my 12 year old daughter is one of the youngest of this group, learning and absorbing all the truly fabulous examples from the older girls!)

After discussing some of the quotes and what they meant I wrote this on the board:

K x S = T + W

They quickly guessed K= knowledge… but I had to help them with the rest.

Here’s my thinking. Knowledge is great and all, but clearly what you DO with your knowledge will shape and define you as a person, especially as a spiritual person. In my equation S = SERVICE. I figure if you don’t give away your time and of your self and your knowledge in the form or serving others… what’s the point?

Since we are talking in terms of chemical reactions. The ‘stuff’ on the left is what you put INTO the reaction. The items on the right are what you get out for your effort. Your reactive “products”.

So what do you get when you fold knowledge and service into a young girl and you heat up the ‘reaction’ by supplying opportunities for both? In the form of babysitting a neighbor’s kids. Raking their grandma’s yard. Baking cookies for a friend who’s had a hard time… Helping them with homework, and supplying a strong expectation for them to do well in school and continue on to college.

T= Testimony

They will learn great lessons about giving and sharing and learning. Gaining understanding by giving away what they KNOW, will yield a strong belief in themselves and of those things they have learned. By sharing their time and their skills a seed of faith will grow.  Maybe they will gain a testimony of the love their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ already have for them.  Helping others quickly turns back and benefits them.

I added the W as an additional product. Kind of like a by-product absorbing all that excess energy produced when a young energetic kid combines knowledge with service. Any guesses what it stands for?

Wisdom

My 12yrold came home from her church youth activity with Easy Chocolate Truffles! Wha… wow? I’m going to young women’s next time!
Get this. There are only three ingredients…

Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate 8oz.


Whole Package of Oreos

2} 8oz. Packages of Cream Cheese

Last weekend when she asked to make them at home… oh boy, she REALLY had to twist my arm.

And the little sister helped. She ’shaped’ the truffles…

The recipe is all over the internet, google “easy chocolate oreo truffles” and you’ll find it.

Basically you simply use a food processor to grind up the Oreos then mix into the softened cream cheese (use your hands). Then form small balls (or hearts?) and dip in melted chocolate. (We melted the chocolate on medium low on the stove.) Let them cool for a few hours in the fridge and… (uh huh, we didn’t make it that long either!)

I’m super glad to be the mom of this particular tween.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

I asked her for a booklist and a music list. She has been reading voraciously for years now, I can’t keep up. It’s official, I know less and less about what is going on in her life. So I give you the faves in her life. Maybe you can find a gift idea for the tween in your life??

BOOKS

Uglies (series) by Scott Westerfield
Midnighters (series) also by same author.
She’s told me a lot about these books. One of her current faves. Strange premise, science fiction.

ANYTHING by Sharon Creech
Walk Two Moons, Ruby Holler are two she described to me in detail. I think she’s read every single book Ms. Creech has ever written!

Fablehaven (series) by Brandon Mull
Candy Shoppe War (same author)
We once got to meet Mr. Mull at a book signing!

Anything by Gail Carson Levine
(esp. Fairest, her note)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series) by Rick Riordan
(I have it on good knowledge that she is literally dying to get her hands on the 4th and newest book… um… don’t tell her… I think it might be stashed somewhere ready to wrap itself up for her! Shhhh.)

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Also Inkheart by same author.
(She left me a note: “did not like the next books in the inkheart series.”)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
(She stayed up nights reading the whole series in a matter of months.)

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

Music

Falling Down – Selena Gomez
(She tells me she like pretty much all of her music)

Taylor Swift (The whole kit and kaboodle.. surprise huh?)

Jordan Sparks (Ditto)

Songs from the Movie ‘Another Cinderella Story‘ and ‘Spectacular‘
Not familiar with those movies…?
What… you don’t watch the Disney Channel nonstop?

Crush- David Archuleta
(I think she has the crush.)

All the Songs from Wicked
Me too… we are so working on a plan to see this play.. someday… somehow.

What are we missing? What does your tween LOVE?

Tween Superhero Image Created by my Ahhmazing Artist Friend:

NapWarden… If you like it, have a look at more of her artwork.

I saw her little boy superhero and realized I needed a girl tween pouting superhero for my Tween Talk Series… is it perfect or what? I simply tweeted her out… asked her how much it would cost (I was super excited at her affordable illustration prices) and Voilá… my very own image for my very own series, matching my site’s very own colors and my dear tween’s hair color!

Have you seen the prices of images on other sites? Redonculous! I paid under $50 for this image, and she tweaked it for me, the right size and the right colors!

She was 9 when I first heard the words: “No. And You Can’t Make Me!”

Welcome to my tween world.

Disclosure: I purchased the artwork, I love @Napwarden, thankyouverymuch.

Pretty huh?
Tasty too, and come January and February…the perfect lunch treat!
I love pears with cottage cheese!

Sanitize your bottles. I run the extra sanitize on my dishwasher but really hot soapy water works too. But new lids, but the old rings on your jars are fine. I prefer wide mouth jars.

Prepare your pears. You really can’t get around peeling them by hand.. so wash ‘em up, dig in and peel away! I like using a medium sized melon-baller to carve out the core after slicing in half.

Helpers are good!

Add 1 cup hot water (tap is fine) and 1/4 cup sugar per jar. This year I tried using 1 teaspoon of a fruit preserver as well. (Contains acid and helps keep the pears from turning brown.)

Pack your pears in as tight as you can get them, leaving a half inch or so below the neck of the jar, then fill with additional water to the neck of the jar. After 7 of your jars are filled wipe the openings well with a wet washcloth. Boil your lids for 1 minute and carefully place on the jars with the rings and hand tightening.

It’s here. It’s official.

She’s convinced we are the meanest parents on the block. Only took her 1.5 weeks of Jr. High to figure it out. After a longer than usual day. Trying out for volleyball, attending her youth group activity and completing homework (mostly algebra—oh joy) she was grumpy and exhausted.

We encouraged her to hurry & shower then get ready for bed. (Can you imagine anything more cruel?)

Her response {IN ALL CAPS}:

YOU ARE SO MEAN!
NO ONE ELSE HAS A BEDTIME!
I’M NOT A LITTLE KID!

I looked at my husband. He looked at me.
We were baffled? Where did THAT come from?

After my own rotten day I quite honestly couldn’t deal with her tween tantrum at the mommy witching hour. The dad helped her understand it wasn’t a good time to have a shouting match.

Later after she was asleep, we talked about what she really needed? Was there more to her tween tirade than a set bedtime? —She was overtired, possibly nervous about volleyball, and for sure Jr. High was completely new to her —maybe tween stress issues?

Do we care if she stays up later than the younger kids?

No.
As long as any ‘extra’ time staying up later isn’t spent watching TV, and of course as long as she is still able to get up early enough to get herself moving for the bus.

What we really want her to understand is how to negotiate what she wants (or believes she deserves). Because it’s kind of hard to prove to us that she is responsible and capable of determining her own bedtime while in the middle of an “IlooklikeI’m5” outburst.

The next night Dad took her out for a one-on-one Dad chat (including Chinese food). They talked about school and the anxieties in her life. He gave her a chance to plead her no-need-for-a-bedtime case. And they arrived home with an acceptable compromise.

Her new ‘bedtime’ will now be an hour later than before. And if she’s finished with homework she determined that she’d be happy to read or do something quiet in her room during her extra time.

Problem solved. Now the question is will she understand how to negotiate the next time the “meanest parents” come to town??

*I polled some of her friend’s parents. They ALL said their kids have ‘bedtimes’. We in fact, are NOT the meanest parents on the block.
So THERE.

We pulled the Shred Sled out of the box and I thought: Uh Oh, what have we done? Can we really use this thing? The kiddos took it straight out to the driveway and um…

Let’s just say we sucked.

Sadie (my 11yrold) tried it and she gave it a great effort but couldn’t see how to start-or move-or even get on it! My 8yrold is our more coordinated kid and even when I held her up to start out, it was a no go. (I admit I gave it a tiny effort, but dude, it’s harder than it looks!)

I could see the sparkle-determination-in-her-eyes and Sadie spent another 30 minutes trying to teach her feet to say on the twisty-turny-not-quite-a-skateboard! Within about 4 days of her after school attempts. Sadie had it down. She can start (without the wall), navigate circles, and is having a blast!

GoodNCrazy Thoughts:

They claim you can ride the Shred Sled uphill? So far she’s awesome on a very slight incline, and she’s dying to try it on a local skate park! She’s happy to zoom around with it most afternoons, and I don’t think she’ll really outgrow it any time soon. Which is awesome because it’s getting really hard to find fun gifts for her anymore?

It’s really only for older kids, my 8yrold still hasn’t mastered it, and that drives her kinda crazy. My 5yrold plays with it but only under serious supervision… And believe me you do not want to trip over this thing (ask me how I know…)!

Cost: $119.99 and comes in red, blue and black.

My 8yrold recently discovered her quirky side. She dresses shall we say… eclectically? I’m buying her the brightest patterned tights I can find. I found these patterned tights at CelesteStein.com $16.

My friend Gretchen of Chichiboulie.com only lives a few THOUSAND miles away… over in FRANCE… you simply must see her artwork. I’m in love with the Safari prints and the fairies are fab! $18

While I was jogging at the gym I found this idea in a magazine: Active Edge Easy Catch…. the ball is foam so it’s indoor friendly! Cuz I swear sometimes my 5yrold is NOT!! $28.99.

My 11yrold is currently reading/devouring/inhaling the Percy Jackson Series of Books. Book one is The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan. She came home yesterday whining that her school library does not have the fifth one. Can you say BDay present?? $7.99

I just bought her a pair of converse shoes a lot like these and look(!) here they are 20% off. (We were able to use our 20% coupon plus my $15 rewards gift card on TOP of the buy one get one half off! I call that a good shopping day.) $39.99

I dare you NOT to love the contemporary furniture on AllModern.com. Plus…CSNstores has a living room makeover giveaway going on.. HELLO! *BONUS*!

I just made this TONIGHT for dinner: Roast Pork Tenderloin w/Apricot Glaze: recipe from Chow.com. {YES. I’ll share.} Leftover suggestion? Shred pork and simmer in BBQ sauce and 1 can tomato sauce, voilá pork sandwiches!

I’m super excited! I just found out I get to be a judge for a contest LeeLouBlogs is hosting for the amazing Memory Mixer products… Go check out the contest and even if you don’t own Memory Mixer Software you can use a 30 day free download to create your scrapbook entry! {There’s a laptop as first prize…!}

*disclaimer: affiliate links included