Look who was in the Newspaper.....

June 30, 2012 in Washington Voices of the Spokesman Review:

East Valley Middle School has announced its honor roll for the third trimester of the 2011-’12 school year. Eighth grade 4.0 grade-point average: Audry Burgess, Ashley Eibert, Jasmine Harroun, Jaycee Jones, Chelsea Love, Taylor Martin, Elizabeth McLean, Isabel Morales, Anne Ngo, Zoe Novakovich, Caleb Palmen, Kelsie Rantzow, Katherine Rice, Dalton Schutz, Jerehmey Tadlock, Noel Torres, Justin Vigesaa, Amanda Warren, Annissa Wimer, Paul Yount.


3.40-3.99 GPABrittany Aquino, Haley Baggarley, Nicole Behar, Kila Browning, Baylee Buchanan, Ashley Burk, Hannah Burland, Riley Campbell, Devin Devore, Emily Dillon, Christopher Dixon, Megan Duff, William Dunlap, Rose Faraca, Ashley Farnsworth, John Forsman III, Payton Fredericksen, Alyssa Glore, Ryan Graham, Joseph Grassl, Zachary Hanson, Erika Herambourg, Jacob Huffman, Aubrey Jones, Kasey Kanenwischer, Corissa Larsen, Samantha Ludwig, Jared Martin, Jordan Moore, Noah Morales, Rebekah Nalder, Derek Nelson, Mitchell Nelson, Justin Patterson, Katelynne Perry, Josiah Peterson, Jordan Phelan, Gaelyn Prior, Erik Pyatt, Gabrielle Reavis, Taeona Seiler, Hannah Smith, Jacob Townley, Garrett Tredway, Elvira Tsuber, Charles Turner, Bryan Westwood, Connor Weyant.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jun/30/east-valley-middle-school-honor-roll/

She's Back.....

Ashley arrived home safely after going from coast to coast, literally, in less than a week. She returned from her trip to Washington, DC at 11:30pm on Monday night. I met her in the parking lot with her camp bag and a sack lunch for the next day. She headed home with her bestie, Keely, so that her family could get the girls to the north stake center before 6am. Talk about T...I...R...E...D. But when you're 14, you have the stamina and where withall of a young ox. Or is it oxess? I thought girls' camp was only four days long and she would catch up on sleep on Saturday. I got a call on Wednesday telling me that she wouldn't be home till Saturday afternoon. Oh well. It was all good since I didn't have to go pick her up in Ellensburg, our house was quieter, and she was having a great time with great people.

She's starting high school in a few weeks and I want her to be ready for all the fun and growth that is coming her way. She's a gifted student that is every teacher's dream. But life is getting more and more base by the day and it really does feel like you send your kids off to a den of iniquity called school. I like to think that I'm less of a sheltered parent as I was as a child, but what I see only makes me want to resist the world's influence and control on my kids even more. It has nothing to do with preventing their participation or involvement in traditional activities, but more of giving them some extra tools they will need to get through their challenges with their innocence and respect intact.

And as parents, you want to arm your child with every possible protection against the garbage and evil that has circumvented every aspect of our lives. The Lord also desires this for His children and has prepared others with spiritual gifts to help us get through this world successfully, and spiritually intact. The heavens are not sealed, we should cherish the opportunity to receive a special priesthood blessing, given only once in a person's lifetime, by one chosen and ordained by priesthood authority. Those blessings are called Patriarchal Blessings.

The scriptures refers to many of the priesthood leaders by their titles. Prophets, priests, evangelists, apostles. They all have roles to play in the kingdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “An Evangelist is a Patriarch. … Wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons.” The father is a patriarch to his family and can and should give father’s blessings to his children. The scriptures speak of three kinds of patriarchs: fathers of families, the prophet leaders of ancient times, and the stake patriarch, an ordained office in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

"Until a few years ago, every stake patriarch was called and ordained by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When the number of stakes increased, this responsibility was delegated to the stake president.Like the other offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood—elders, high priests, Seventies, and Apostles—the stake patriarch is ordained rather than set apart.The stake president submits a name to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Each name is carefully and prayerfully considered. Once approved, the patriarch is sustained in stake conference, then ordained. He then, with prophetic insights, will pronounce blessings upon the heads of those who come recommended by the bishop of their ward." Elder Boyd K. Packer, Quorum of the 12 Apostles http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/10/the-stake-patriarch?lang=eng

A patriarchal blessing is the only priesthood blessing that we are given that is recorded, transcribed, and kept as a treasure and document for us to refer back to throughout our life. Elder Packer, referring to receiving his own patriarchal blessing, stated: " I did not know then, as I know now, that a patriarch has prophetic insight, that his blessing would be more than a guide to me. It has been a shield and a protection."

Getting her blessing has been on her mind for several months now. And after the storm of life settled down, she decided to set a goal and a date to get one. Three weeks ago she met with the bishop to get her recommend to go and we made the appointment. And then waited until today. After a fantastic steak dinner, we headed over to Patriarch Ogezawalla's house in Liberty Lake. He interviewed her for a few minutes before we were also invited to join her in the front room to start. He laid his hands on her head and gave her a beautiful blessing, declaring her lineage and birthright. He outlined some of the great experiences that will come to her through her faithfulness and obedience...namely, an advanced education at a university--of which, she will use throughout her lifetime, an opportunity to be a missionary--called and otherwise, leadership positions in numerous presidencies with the youth and sisters, eternal marriage to a companion of her choice, doing a great service in her family history endeavors and work; amongst numerous other promises. She was oft reminded that she need to be loving and kind to everyone.

"These sacred blessings also strengthen the personal testimonies of those worthy persons who are the recipients of such blessings, provided those recipients live so as to merit the blessings pronounced therein. A patriarchal blessing is a very unique and remarkable privilege that can come to the faithful members of the Church having sufficient maturity to understand the nature and the importance of such blessings. These privileged blessings are a powerful witness of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing exaltation to each of us.
Like many blessings, they must be requested by the person or by the family of the one desiring the blessing. The responsibility for a patriarchal blessing rests primarily upon the individual and family.Our testimonies can be strengthened and fortified and our lives given greater purpose every time we read and reread our patriarchal blessings. By their very nature, all blessings are qualified and conditional, regardless of whether the blessing specifically spells out the qualification or not. Each blessing is absolutely qualified and given upon the condition of the faithfulness of the recipient of the blessing." Elder James E. Faust http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6757

Jeff put his arm around me when her wonderful parents were mentioned in the blessing. In our conversation together, the patriarch said to us many times that she is a very sweet and good girl. It was definitely a choice experience to sit in on and be reminded what a powerful and elect individual Ashley is. In her interview with the bishop, he said something to her that stuck with her, about her future leadership roles. He pre-empted his comments by saying he didn't know why he was telling her this. She chuckled when the same comment was made in the patriarch in the blessing today. She had her eyes opened to how the Lord personally knows our strengths and abilities, where they will be best suited. And if we give ourselves up to Him, we will see His hand helping to shape of our lives, into a greater masterpiece then what we could have done on our own.

After we shared those sweet moments together...I knew she realized that her spiritual eyes are opening to the future of righteous possibilities. And as her mother, I reiterate what President Monson said:

Patriarchal blessings are received as our personal scripture to navigate a righteous course through our own lives. It's a reminder that we aren't earthly beings having a spiritual experience...but are spiritual beings having an earthly experience.

Northwood Monologues

Whitworth Univesity Drama Department Partners with Northwood 8th Graders. Eighth graders at Northwood Middle School, in English classes, learned about and wrote monologues. 50 of those monologues were selected and sent to the drama department at Whitworth University where eighteen drama students selected one monologue to memorize and then perform at a special assembly held at Northwood in October 2011. Northwood students had no idea which monologues had been selected so each performance was a special surprise for the writer. At the end of the assembly the student writer joined the monologue actor on stage. This was an very fun forum to showcase the outstanding writing of Northwood 8th graders. There is a video of the performances.

http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=8

I just found the video posted on the district website. So here's the breakdown=Northwood has approximately 450 eighth graders. Fifty monologues were sent over to Whitworth. Only 18 of those monologues were selected, memorized, and performed for an all-school assembly. None of the writers knew ahead of time what was going to be performed. So you can imagine Ashley's shock when her's was performed. It is called The Shadow and is the third from the beginning. It's quite good for such a talented young writer--actually exceptional; and Whitworth thought so as well!

My only regret...that the video doesn't show the performers with the writers at the end. But so worth the watch because we've got one talented student in our family :)

Fashionable...Coordinated...and Smart, Too!

We are on the downward spiral towards the end of another school year. Ashley has always been an excellent student...and she is definitely standing out amongst her peers.

She's taking high school Algebra, Honors English, Orchestra, PE, social studies, and science. It tends to be quite the workload at times--but she's nailing it with high marks. Report cards come mailed when you reach the middle school age. So this was a particularly awesome moment for her parents! And along with acing state exams for the last three years--she's well on her way to some scholarship potential.

She also recently took part in the state Solo and Ensemble competition, performing Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring on the viola. Her judge said that she had some amazing talent that would highly benefit from a private teacher. She told her to memorize the piece she played because it would be one that she would be performing for the rest of her life, at weddings and such.....for money.

You can't see the whole outfit that Ashley is wearing...but it's very classy black and white ensemble. And it is complimented by just what every girl needs--a matching pooch to complete her wardrobe. Molly is definitely enjoying being the baby in the family...and favors Ashley for more than her preference in colors.

Ashley is now 14!!

Guess who had a birthday this weekend??

That's right--our Ashley Camille. She turned 14 years-old on September 25th.

Where has the time gone? I guess I knew it was coming though. I've had lots of little reminders along the way that she wasn't a little girl anymore--like when Ashley's greatest fan started going school all day herself, getting a sports physical that said she's 5'6 and still growing...and the crazy 8th grade schedule she hit us with. Ashley broke into her teenage years on her last birthday. But this year definitely marks a bit of a milestone for her before she transitions into the four years of high school.
She has a great bunch of friends that have been strong examples of good values and character. I'm so impressed with them and how they love and respect Ashley. I couldn't have picked a better bunch of girls for her, myself. [Pictured: Keely Liles, Ashley, Analisa Schmidt, Rachel Zieger, and Audra Spargo.]

It just doesn't seem possible, at times, that I have a kid this old. But this weekend was an eye-opener. The celebration for Ashley's 14th birthday--lacked the theatrical fanfare that is usually present for younger children. All the invites were issued via text or e-mail.... Hmm.... Amazing how the latest technology is now carried by every teenager and a vast majority of pre-pubescents as well. Wow. That still seems odd to me--but it did the trick and I saved the stamps.

Instead of games--we had a build-your-own-sandwich luncheon, complete with fun finger food assortments and mini cupcakes "blooming" out of a pot. The party favors were the girls choices of an assortment of make-up products in 10 different colors and types. I knew I couldn't go wrong with the nail polish colors of purple, lime green, and orange. They actually wear those colors!

Analisa and her mom made Ashley a fun and festive birthday pop! After the gifts and goodies--it was time for the climatic conclusion to a great afternoon with the girls...involving one delicious werewolf... Ooops...not yet. My bad. That one will have to wait till almost Thanksgiving time.

Taylor Lautner has a new movie out, called Abduction, that released the night before the party. It's his first non-Twilight production--and all the girls were in a tizzy to see it. Before we left for the theaters, the girls made guesses on how many times he would appear without his shirt on. A couple said four times, one said seven times, and the others thought once or twice. Well--Ashley guessed correctly--it was only twice. And what a fine specimen of humanity he is...but I digress. Ashley's friend, Rachel, blessed her with a poster of Taylor. [Oh, to be so young and feeling the first twitter-paters of butterflies in my tummy...... awwhhhh!]

Ashley had a birthday "weekend". Her friends decorated her locker on Friday, her party on Saturday, and gifts and special dinner with the family on Sunday. She gave me a hug Sunday night and told me thanks for her fabulous weekend. Nice. I don't usually measure up in the complimentary parenting department--so this was my pleasure, after all.

A couple of days before the whole birthday shindig, was Ashley's first softball game. The Northwood girls competed against Salk Middle School. It was fun to see teamwork and great sportsmanship.

Ashley has a pretty good hit and mean throw--for a novice athlete. Three weeks into the school year already, and we just had the third game. No winning streaks yet, but we still have 7 games left, before the end of the season.

So what does being 14 years-old mean for her? She can wear more make-up if she wants to, go to stakes dances, attend youth conferences, have a facebook account without parental permission (shh...I'm not encouraging that one yet), and drive. Oh. Oops. We don't live in Idaho--never mind. I guess 14 means that she's getting closer and closer to some of those other upcoming milestones though. [Sigh...] But we'll take the little steps first, one at a time, before that. For example, her braces come off at the end of the year...and that's really not very long to go.

She's getting SO smart along the way. We just received the MSP results for the state testing that was conducted in the schools last May. Yep. We got ourselves a Smarty Pants. [And for the record--that's a totally great thing!!] She ranked Advanced in all three categories of testing--Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. In fact, she received almost a perfect score in the Reading category of 475 questions. Not too shabby for a very busy kid! She maintains a perfect 4.0, while juggling orchestra, piano lessons, softball everyday after school for 2 hours, and weekly young women's activities. Ashley is one awesome kid and she definitely makes her mom and dad very proud. Onward to 15!!

Living a Life of Service starts Young...

Throughout this school year, Ashley has had to do some projects for a couple of her classes at middle school that seemed pretty intensive for a lone seventh grader. She's gotten through them with flying colors, maintaining a 4.0 the entire year. But there was one project that almost seemed too incredulous. Her science teacher, David Gamon, gave the class a Life assignment to give back to the community. It was designed to be a scientific hypothesis and study to see how the actions we take have a residual effect in the community we live in. Ashley had a classmate that teamed with her in the planning and carry-out of their plan. Initially she wanted to collect money to help orphans in Africa or do some volunteer work at the Humane Society. And while these are noble interests, they don't directly effect her community.


I suggested to her that she assemble hygiene kits for a women's shelter like the Women's Hearth downtown. Ah...the huffs and the puffs at the beginning. But now this project that has been culminating over the past 2 months, has come to an end. Even with Ashley going to St Louis right in the middle of it for a couple of weeks, did not lessen or change the results. She had a theory, a plan, and a committee to help accomplish the assignment.
Kits can be as simple or as complex as you can afford to make them.

We went simple for that we could do more in volume.

We concentrated on the basics for hygiene--with dental care, body care, and for hair care. We might do more in the future that add things like: feminine hygiene and outdoor aids.

--Some of the Supplies we used for assembly

I was on Ashley's "committee"-- so I had been buying soap, hand towels, combs, and toothpaste on sale or at the dollar store in anticipation that we'd have a giant assembly day in the near future. And sure enough--in true teenage fashion, I was given a day's notice that they needed to complete the project for the conclusion to their hypothesis and then prepare the presentation for the class.

So assembly day was Wednesday, June 8th. Ashley wrangled her friend Keely and her sister into helping her and Mara assemble the hygiene kits.

We had enough new supplies to have Ashley and her friends to start putting 72 kits together. But Dad remembered that we had some partially assembled kits in the garage that were waiting for combs and soap. He pulled those down and had the kids finish those at the same time--exponentially increasing the results. There was a little excitement when the finished products numbered 200 rather than 72.

Each kit contains a hand towel, a bar of hypo-allergenic soap, a packaged toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a comb. It's a modified version of the hygiene kit that LDS Charities assembles for a family of 4. Our kit is for just one woman, instead.

We filled several buckets with the kits and then filled the back end of the Suburban for the grand finale--taking them to the non-profit organization downtown called The Women's Hearth after school on Friday, June 10th.

It is a transitions program geared to help homeless and truly impoverished women meet their basic needs with community alliances and outreach programs. It gets them back on their feet after they've been helped. It's a place of respite that gives women a break from poverty with a place to rest, read, eat, sleep, shower, meditate, craft, and relax.

The girls had notified the shelter that they would be assembling kits and delivering them soon. The shelter was very thankful and amazed at the number of kits brought in. The workers thought that the kits were assembled by the whole middle school. Ummm. NO. (Proud mother moment here).

The kits were the result of a couple of kids from the middle school that sought to make a difference in their local community because of an assignment from their teacher. They learned that there were needs a short distance from their own comfortable homes and that they could do something about it.

Each kit assembled represented a woman. It wasn't just 200 bags of towels, soap, and toothbrushes--but 200 people who needed those basic items to feel better about their lives and get the simple things they needed to move on or help in their lives. The board with the women's pictures behind Ashley and Mara, show some of the 1500 women that have enlisted the help of The Women's Hearth during the year. There is a story in each of those faces.

All in all, this was a Life Lesson in Service and Giving. I think the teacher is very wise to have the kids use scientific methods to prove that there are solutions to problems that don't necessarily have scientific reasons for occurring. We can never really know what causes people to fall into the spits of disparity in life, but I think that the kids learned that there is a way to help a little without fulling understanding the whole picture.I'm proud of Ashley and her friends for taking the challenge of giving something back to the community and then truly following through on their plan. It is definitely a lesson that could be learned and relearned throughout each of our own lives. Actions speak louder than words.

What a Busy Day!!

Today I became the parent of an official teenager. I guess, in some abstract way, you always know that is what is coming when they place the baby in your arms. Well Ashley has arrived to the magical age of 13. And while one likes to think that nothing is as important as you on the day that you were birthed into this mortal world--things happen! So here's a day in review of what happened on Ashley's birthday.

It started by having a Saturday morning pack meeting for three brothers. It was our first official pack meeting in the start of the new school year. We had a pancake breakfast, complete with sausage and deluxe baked hashbrowns. It was followed by a game of Cub Scout Jeopardy. We played the Cubs against Parents! Of course, with the help of a couple of Double Jeopardy questions, the boys won! I know that Braden loved it, because he asked if we could play it again with just our family this evening. Hmm...you just never know what's going you do that is going to resonate in some kids.

Ashley has been taking a Hip Hop dance class of the local YMCA on Saturday mornings. Mid pancake cooking--Jeff left to take her over to that. He sat locked out of the church building for the last 20 minutes of our meeting because I didn't answer my cell phone during the game :( But we had a lot of boys progressing on the Cub Scout Trail to award badges to. All three of our boys earned pins or badges. Nathan and Cameron both earned their Aquanot, Naturalist, and Citizen pins as Webelos. Braden received his Bobcat award and then pinned me! He has come so far in such a short time. He'll be done with his Wolf well before Christmas and then have 8 months to earn a slew of arrow points!

(The newest cub scout in our family--Braden)

After scouts, we headed home to celebrate the birthday! Ashley had a choice of going out to lunch with the family or having a birthday party later in the week, complete with friends, cake, pizza, and swimming. She chose the get together with her friends and so we let Ashley open her presents from Mom and Dad and the cards from grandparents without a lot of festive fanfare. She was very pleased with her haul--a flat iron, a book of contemporary piano music, a sweet pair of Nike tennis shoes with a purple flash, the Jurassic books she requested, jewelry, and cute cards with cash from her Grandma and Grandpa Eibert and Great-Grandma Ida Mae.

Ashley has earned quite a bit of cash from her recent babysitting jobs. She eyed something that she wanted to break the bank for--an acoustic guitar. She has quite a busy schedule at school with several honors classes, orchestra, piano lessons, jazz band, and learning leadership skills as Beehive class president at church. I tried to explain to her that adding a time-consuming hobby to her plate could take time away from any of these other worthy causes, and would not be the smartest choice right now. She was adamant that things wouldn't change in her commitment levels or practice schedules--and she still wanted the guitar. So we went for a pleasant Saturday afternoon drive to let her make her first major purchase. By the end of the evening, she was picking out Silent Night. She is determined to be self-taught--and no doubt, she will be. She is that kind of girl!! (Dear Taylor Swift--Ashley is a fabulous writer and has a strong streak of musical talent! Maybe she'll be the next high school crooner. Watch out Steven!)

She has one uber-fan and uber-critic---her sister! Jessica gave her a standing ovation and help opening all of her presents. But when it came to the guitar--she begged Ashley to put it away, saying that it sounded awful. Only a 5 year-old could put it so bluntly and without any guile. What she doesn't quite understand yet, is that nobody does anything or plays anything perfectly to begin with. We all start at the bottom and progress towards something better and improved. Ashley will be the perfect example for Jessica when it is her turn to start an instrument and practicing. For now, she'll just have to endure the broken chords and painful noises like everyone else ;)

It's that time of Year....

The end of the school year brings the season of recitals, plays, end of the year performances. All of our kids had some kind of performance to participate in, but Ashley's was the most exclusive. It was held in the Steinway gallery and she was so pleased to play on a $130,000 grand piano for her piano recital. She did so well and has improved so much with a new teacher this year--Kristine Stevenson. Ashley played Pachabel's Canon in D as prelude to the recital and then performed Sonatina by Clementi for her selected piece. If she keeps practicing every day and working on the classics, she's going to be quite accomplished by the time she graduates from high school.

She was very impressed with that Steinway because she told her dad that we needed a new piano. I didn't dispute that, because I would really love to have a grand piano again. I grew up taking piano lessons and playing on a grand piano. I didn't have an upright piano till after I got married and that's what Ashley is playing on today. After seriously improving so much--I think a grand piano may be in our future. (Shhhh.....maybe after the braces are paid for).

One of many recitals to come....

Tonight was Ashley's spring recital for the advanced elementary orchestra. It's a combined orchestra made up of four elementary schools in our district. She's been going every Monday and Thursday morning before school for an hour. I'm secretly pleased that next year she will get to go to the middle school and have orchestra sometime during the school day and we won't have to transport her early in the morning anymore...Oh, wait. I have other children that may be in the music programs as well. Scratch that thought. I won't get a break from early morning music rendezvous' for 7 more years. Anywhoo....

Ashley played the Bach's Brandenburg Concerto in a quartet tonight that sounded really good. (Parental disclosure: the first couple of years of elementary orchestra is quite painful to listen to, but eventually you start to hear the progression and tonight was a little payback for all those other recitals that you wanted to plug your ears and scream along with the screeching noises that were somehow being emitted from the beautiful instruments).

Ashley plays the Viola.... I guess that would make her a Violist...hehehe. Sounds silly, huh? But they are not as plentiful as violinists and it makes the playing opportunities even more available. I wasn't exactly supportive of the viola at first because I just wanted to hear the stringed instrument I was most familiar with--the violin. You have to be truly exceptional to stand out as a violinist. But viola....now there's a great instrument not every one's starting. So--with a little more practice and a wave of luck mixed with some opportunities, maybe a scholarship will come her way. She's already on the road less traveled...here's to a great daughter and a great musician.