Sledding!

Two days ago we went sledding at the Andersen's. They have a big ditch hill in their back yard. It was very fun and slippery when we tried to climb back up the hill.

Shooting!

Yesterday, Dad took me to a big scout activity. We learned to shoot BB Guns and Bows and Arrows. I loved it a lot, it was so fun!

Here is my target from the BB gun.

Here is me with my Archery target. I got one bulls-eye the first round and two the second round. That equals three bulls-eyes! The arrows sank deep into the target. Dad said I was "a natural"! 

The Range Officer made a joke:

"What do you get when you hit a bulls eye?"

An Angry Bull!

We also had our last flag football game this week. We played against a blue team and they had a really fast guy that scored most of the points. We lost. It was a bummer. But I had fun, and that's what your're supposed to do when you play games and sports. I love playing with my cousins on my team. We also had a big party afterwards with all the cousins and Bishop Spencer Kofoed ordered pizza! We got to watch some of the BYU football game too. It was lots of fun too. 

Next Friday for flag football we are having the pass and punt contest. I'm really excited to sign up next season. 

Weekly Update

I've been working hard this week! I want to finish all my jobs every day so I can earn $2. Right now I have $42 and I am saving my money Christmas presents for my family.

Last Thursday, Mimi and Papa Ragsdale got here at 9:03 pm and My mom said we could stay up till they got here. Sawyer Porter was babysitting us. Mimi and Papa stayed until Monday morning so we go to play with them for three days!

We went to a nature museum and then for a walk along the Boise river. Me and Papa were throwing the football and when he threw it I missed and it rolled into the Boise River. I had a meltdown because I thought I was going to loose my ball forever. Mom was a hero and she saved my ball and she tried three times to walk into the water and catch the floating ball. On the third time she found a branch to fish the ball towards her and she got it! But the branch poked her in the cheek right below the eye. We walked to a restaurant to eat and my mom said, "Graham, you owe me like ten days of back scratches!" I asked why and she pointed at her scratched cheek!

I love playing flag football with my cousins. I have practice on Thursdays and games on Fridays. My coaches are Jay Walker and Rick Lochhead! I have five cousins and three more awesome 8 years olds on my team. I love it! This week, we won our game! The score was 2 touchdowns to 1 touchdown. I pulled three flags! It was also my turn to bring the treats after the game, so I helped my mom make caramel popcorn balls.

My mom volunteered to help in my class at school on Thursday. She tested us on our sight words and I passed!

I had Bear Scouts this week. We made potato soup and fried bread for our outdoor cooking requirement. It was one of the most delicious thing I've ever had!

SA 9th Ward Primary Spotlight

Junior Shakespeare class

"This is my happy face."

We have a homeschool co-op we go to on Fridays called Sunrise Leadership Allience. Graham is taking a Junior Shakespeare class.

"This is my awesome face."

"I really like my two teachers. We learned that Shakespeare wrote plays. And we are actually going to do a play too! We made these ruffs in our class because that's what some important people wore, like a king or queen.

We made them out of a long piece of string and those paper coffee filters. First, we folded them up and then we stapled them and punched a hole in them. Then we put the string through the hole and tied it. This is what it looked like. It wasn't very comfortable."

Love,

Graham

18 Fire Ant Bites

One night I thought there were mosquito bites on my arm and I started itching them. I went and told my mom, and my mom and she said that it might just be a rash from my watch because I put it on tight. The next morning, I figured out that they were ant bites. I knew this because the white blisters came. 

Bandaged up!

We used cream and tegaderms which are clear band-aids that my dad brought home from the hospital. Soon after that, they stopped itching and became small red dots. 

I really don't know why Heavenly Father created fire ants. 

Love,

Graham

Go Blue Vipers!

Graham had his soccer team party yesterday evening. The coaches got medals and trophies for the boys and made a little presentation ceremony of it.

 I'm glad we are doing soccer right now with the kids. They really enjoy it. In fact, I have to get after Graham for kicking balls (of any size!) around in the house!

"I think this season was great! I think this was my best team ever! I really liked my coaches. One of my team-mates was my friend from church, Logan Slaugh! and I really like my team-mates. They were really good at passing and controlling the ball and they made a lot of goals. So did I!"
Love,
Graham

Big dental work

Graham had some cavities in between come of his molars...the dentist told him that the tooth fairy would pay more for silver-capped teeth!

his biggest numb smile

he is actually laughing out loud here!

Eye Dissection!

"In our homeschool co-op, I am taking a Dissection Class!

Today we dissected a cow's eye!

We used a scalpel and cut straight down very carefully. It was slimy. In the middle of the eye we found a marble-like thing. It was like half of a cream colored marble, this was the pupal. the next par around it was the iris. In the cave that held the pupal it was like shiny blue and turquoise - it was really cool!

This is the diagram I drew of the eye. I learned that when you shine a flashlight at the eye, it shines."

Graham love

I just took off my shirt and found this in the front pocket. My sweet kids are always writing love notes to me and each other and others. It makes me so happy! 

Dear sweet Graham. He is such a good soul. He has such drive within him. 

Today we needed a cuddle moment and I took the quiet opportunity to express how proud of him I was for his hard work with school and music. It's been a while since I've snuffles his delicious ears! 

Piano self-vids

I should really change the password on my phone.

Self-vid Violin

I found this on my phone.

The song is actually called "Graduation Rag" and it's the last song in the first level violin book!

8 year old stats

Graham Michael Ragsdale

53 lbs

4'1/5'' tall

Soccer man!

Graham loves to play soccer.
I love that he is totally rocking that white sweatband!

My Baptism

Baptism of Graham Michael Ragsdale
August 15, 2015

Presiding………………………………………….…….Bishop Lisle Updike

Conducting……………………………………..Brother Nick Wadsworth

Pianist………………………………………….…………….Cassandra Baer

Chorister……………………………………..……………….Erin Ragsdale

Hymn………………………………….………………. “I am a Child of God”

Opening Prayer……………………………………………Steve Ragsdale

Talk on Baptism…………………………….....Steven and Shelly Arroyo

Special Musical Number………………………….….Debbie Ragsdale,

                                                                           Jessica Ragsdale, 

                                                                      Scotty Ragsdale

Baptism of Graham Ragsdale
Ordinance performed by Lee Ragsdale
Witnesses: Kyle Ragsdale and Steven Ragsdale

Interlude Hymns

Talk on Holy Ghost…………………..…….…………….Rick Ragsdale

Confirmation of Graham Ragsdale
Ordinance performed by Lee Ragsdale

Welcome to Primary…………………………...………..Heidi Anderson

Welcome to Ward / Closing Remarks…...……Brother Nick Wadsworth

Hymn…………………………………………………….…………..”Baptism”

Closing Prayer……………………………...………………Amy Ragsdale

All the Ragsdales!

"I got baptized! I am eight years old now. And I have gone through the gate and I am on the first step on the path to Heavenly Father. I felt really good when I went through the doors of the church. I heard the spirit in my heart. It said, 'Graham, you are just about to go through The Gate.' A lot of family and church friends got to come. All of the Ragsdale family came. I'm really glad they all got to come. I love them very much. 

Before I got baptized, I was gathering up a testimony because I will need a testimony when I go on a mission. I also helped plan the program. I called my aunts and uncles and asked them to be a part of my baptism program. They all said yes! 

Here is a note that Mimi and Papa Ragsdale sent me to remind me of the things Grandpa spoke about in his talk:

I felt really good after I got baptized. My dad gave me a slap on the back when he pulled me out of the water and then I hugged him."

Love,

Graham

Sister "Shmooch"

A little while ago a member of the primary presidency, Ashley Schmutz, told me this story.

Graham volunteered to share a scripture for opening exercises. He had his Book of Mormon open and ready and when it was his turn he eagerly read, 

3 Nephi 12:44

"But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who dispitefully use you and persecute you."

Then he essentially testified of the importance of being kind. Ashley said most of the adults in the room were blinking back the tears. So I asked her to write it down and send me her version for Graham's blog.

Tandem with Uncle Steven

We spent the day visiting lots of Ragsdale family. Uncle Steven got out the tandem bike!

Unfair!

I was talking with the kids about job charts and the division of responsibility in the home yesterday. They started debating whether mom or dad did more work. Graham was pretty addement that dad did more.

I obviously needed to correct this perception. We started listing the things that mom did. 

After a few minutes of discussing this the kids rallied and said they wanted to help with jobs more. 

"Yeah," said Graham. "Cuz it's not fair that mom gets to do all the work!"

(He said this in a whiny sort of way that showed he felt truly jipped out of doing some of the cooler jobs, like loading and starting the dishwasher or doing laundry. Machines and tools are apparently key to getting this kid excited about housework!)

"No," I agreed. "It's not fair."

Then Graham said, "Wait, what did I just say?"

I think the end result of this conversation caught him off guard. 

The Wee Ride!

Finally, we are using the WeeRide we got for Christmas! 

Graham is even wearing Daddy's old helmet!

That Face!

They came back over an hour later - sweaty and happy!

Third tooth

I was dreading that a lost tooth would ruin this kids winning smile... I shouldn't have worried. He still melts my heart.