We went to Best Buy this afternoon to get a new stereo installed in our van (a nice model with a jack for my iPod, Bluetooth enabled, and, most importantly, a remote control the boys can use in the back seat. With hand controls, I can't mess with the stereo).
The installation took an hour and a half so we walked (well, I wheeled) to the neighboring ToysRUs in the meantime.
There was hardly anyone in the store, and so we had several store employees asking us if we needed anything (no, just looking). I think we were a curiosity: me in my wheelchair, and three school-aged boys, obviously not in school.
One woman (store employee, maybe 45 years old) came over and started talking to us, asking the boys ages, commenting on three boys (!), etc. I told her the big boys were twins and she excitedly said that she is a twin, too. We parted ways for a while, but we met up with her a few minutes later in another aisle. She was wearing a back brace and, while bending down to get something, commented that she needed a new back.
Joking, I said, "I know the feeling. Can I get a new pair of legs in this store?" She commented that she has a brother who was injured in an industrial accident and was now in a $2,000 motorized wheelchair.
Anyway, suddenly she asked me, "Do you mind if I give your boys a few dollars to spend?"
I said, "That's really nice, I'm sure they would love that."
Then she pulled out $40! Two twenties. My jaw dropped and I just stammered out, "For heaven's sakes, that is so generous!"
I guess sometimes it pays (literally) to have cute boys and be in a wheelchair.
Brigham got a K'nex set, Joseph got some binoculars and a toy dragon, and Mosey got (another) Star Wars light saber.
It was really nice.
Sometimes I focus on people who are rude, or who ignore me because I'm in a wheelchair, or whatever. But some people are really, really nice.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
I passed!
I had my DPS driving test today for hand controls.
I got 100% (yes, yes, I am so awesome), and am now certified.
The only downside was that I had to take a new Drivers License picture. Since I only got my TX license a year and a half ago, I assumed they would just use the same picture. Not so. So I am wearing NO makeup, my hair is not fixed cute, and I have a tired-up-4-times-during-the-night baggy eyes (I was nervous or something, I kept having anxiety dreams about being late), so that's a bummer.
Actually, it's probably a really good thing for my vanity.
I'm getting the hand controls installed in my van tomorrow, and I am SO EXCITED!!! Finally I'll be able to drive without fear again!
I got 100% (yes, yes, I am so awesome), and am now certified.
The only downside was that I had to take a new Drivers License picture. Since I only got my TX license a year and a half ago, I assumed they would just use the same picture. Not so. So I am wearing NO makeup, my hair is not fixed cute, and I have a tired-up-4-times-during-the-night baggy eyes (I was nervous or something, I kept having anxiety dreams about being late), so that's a bummer.
Actually, it's probably a really good thing for my vanity.
I'm getting the hand controls installed in my van tomorrow, and I am SO EXCITED!!! Finally I'll be able to drive without fear again!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Chrissy the cat
It has taken me a while to really warm up to Chrissy, our cat. I really loved Angel, the cat we had for 9 years before she disappeared almost 2 years ago. We waited 6 months before getting Chrissy, but I still sort of resented her for not being Angel. Nice, I know. But recently I've grown pretty attached to Chrissy. She's a good cat. She likes to sit upstairs and peer down from the balcony to spy on the happenings down here.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Spring recital
This will be a mommy-bragging post, so skip it if that annoys you.
On Saturday the big boys had their Spring recital. It was held in the chapel at the Stake Center, and there were 28 children altogether.
The boys got their songs just before Christmas, and by the time they started lessons again in January, they had the songs learned and memorized. I think their teacher was intending for it to take them a little longer! So they've had a long time to practice (and both have learned a few other songs in the mean time).
Both boys did fantastic! Brigham cares *a lot* about his performances, so I was nervous for him (I gave him lots of pep talks beforehand about how it's ok if you make a mistake, everybody does, and he knows he can play it perfectly). But he got up there and played it flawlessly.
Joseph was not nervous about his performance (at least, not until he actually went up there), and I was worried he wouldn't care enough. He's a good little player, but he can be sloppy sometimes, just not paying attention, or not caring. But he did excellently, too! He accidentally brought his music up with him (even though he's had it memorized for nearly 4 months), and spread it on the piano in front of him, but never looked at it once.
Afterwards there was cake and juice and their teacher got all the students piano medals, which was a really nice touch I thought.
Mosey made it through about 3 performances and then Ben put on a Care Bears computer game on his laptop to keep him occupied. That's a long time of being still and quiet for a 5 year old.
Here are the boys with their piano teacher:
I video'd the boys last week playing their songs, if you want to see. Neither had a perfect performance, but didn't want to re-record, so there you have it. Not bad for 6 months of lessons!
Brigham's song, "Wild Robot"
Joseph's song, "The Thing that has No Name"
On Saturday the big boys had their Spring recital. It was held in the chapel at the Stake Center, and there were 28 children altogether.
The boys got their songs just before Christmas, and by the time they started lessons again in January, they had the songs learned and memorized. I think their teacher was intending for it to take them a little longer! So they've had a long time to practice (and both have learned a few other songs in the mean time).
Both boys did fantastic! Brigham cares *a lot* about his performances, so I was nervous for him (I gave him lots of pep talks beforehand about how it's ok if you make a mistake, everybody does, and he knows he can play it perfectly). But he got up there and played it flawlessly.
Joseph was not nervous about his performance (at least, not until he actually went up there), and I was worried he wouldn't care enough. He's a good little player, but he can be sloppy sometimes, just not paying attention, or not caring. But he did excellently, too! He accidentally brought his music up with him (even though he's had it memorized for nearly 4 months), and spread it on the piano in front of him, but never looked at it once.
Afterwards there was cake and juice and their teacher got all the students piano medals, which was a really nice touch I thought.
Mosey made it through about 3 performances and then Ben put on a Care Bears computer game on his laptop to keep him occupied. That's a long time of being still and quiet for a 5 year old.
Here are the boys with their piano teacher:
I video'd the boys last week playing their songs, if you want to see. Neither had a perfect performance, but didn't want to re-record, so there you have it. Not bad for 6 months of lessons!
Brigham's song, "Wild Robot"
Joseph's song, "The Thing that has No Name"
Friday, April 24, 2009
Twelve years
Twelve years ago today I married Ben and started our life together
We were so young. I didn't feel young at the time (I doubt any 20 year old does), but, oh I was!
Looking through my wedding pictures today was nostalgic. Very happy memories, but when I look at those pictures of my 20-year-old self, knowing now some of the challenges she would face, I feel a little sad. She had many dreams and hopes that day, some of which have come to pass, some which I hope will still come to pass, but some which will never come to pass. I'm glad she could remain ignorant of the future and blissful in her anticipation of her life to come.
It was funny also to be reminded of how much I've changed. Not just in years, but in taste. I loved my wedding, but I would do a few things differently now. I still love my dress. If I could change one thing, I wish we would have hired a different wedding photographer! The one we had was cheap, offered us the negatives, and did an adequate job. I loved the pictures at the time, but now, having actually taken wedding pictures myself, I have to kind of laugh. Being a photographer, and loving photographs the way I do, I think a good wedding photographer is well worth the money. The photographs are the only thing that you'll keep forever of that wedding day (well, aside from your spouse, I hope!).
However, I would NOT change who I married. I knew it was the right choice then, even though I was only 20, and I still know it was the right choice. Ben has been through a lot with me. His life has been changed almost as much as mine has been with my illness. I think sometimes about how I would react if our roles were reversed, and I admire him and love him even more for how he has coped with everything. Our lives have not turned out exactly the way we imagined back in 1997, but the most important things have.
In another 12 years, will I look back on myself and think, "Oh, how young she was. How naive!"? I kind of hope so, because it will mean I have been able to grow and progress even further.
Here are some pictures (not great quality, scanned from 4x6's) of that day 12 years ago.
I still love my dress and veil. It was not a typical wedding dress. In fact, it wasn't intended to be a wedding dress at all. I wanted one I could also use as a Temple dress, and my mom found this at a 1920's store in the mall, of all places. Some details were added, like lace at the waistline and wrists, but not much else. I'm so glad I chose that dress, I really love putting it on again when I'm in the Temple. I also wanted a long veil, and I still love the one we chose. My mom discovered on the morning of my wedding that it was sewn onto the headpiece backward. I remember her frantically restitching it that morning as everyone was getting ready. I do wish I'd had my hair professionally done. I've never had my hair professionally done, actually. It looked ok, but that is one thing I would change.
I wish I remembered what we were talking about. This is on the big lawn in front of the entrance to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
I like this one, walking out of the Temple. I would DEFINITELY have had my bouquet ready for the Temple photographs. I can't remember why I didn't have it. I think it wasn't ready in time or something. So my mom brought along some fake silk hydrangeas. As much as I love hydrangeas (that was the flower I wanted for my reception, but they weren't widely available in Utah in April!), the cheap fake hydrangeas are really not what I would choose today.
Oh, such a cheesy, posed, prom-picture shot! And the photographer cut off our hands! Aargh! (cutting off hands and fingers is a big no-no, in case you didn't know) But it's still cute in its own way. I would also not have Ben wear a bow-tie with his tux, if we were to be married again. But see how pretty the actual bouquet was?
Gosh, we just look SO YOUNG. I was 20. Just a girl! And my parents let me make this decision? :-)
We were so young. I didn't feel young at the time (I doubt any 20 year old does), but, oh I was!
Looking through my wedding pictures today was nostalgic. Very happy memories, but when I look at those pictures of my 20-year-old self, knowing now some of the challenges she would face, I feel a little sad. She had many dreams and hopes that day, some of which have come to pass, some which I hope will still come to pass, but some which will never come to pass. I'm glad she could remain ignorant of the future and blissful in her anticipation of her life to come.
It was funny also to be reminded of how much I've changed. Not just in years, but in taste. I loved my wedding, but I would do a few things differently now. I still love my dress. If I could change one thing, I wish we would have hired a different wedding photographer! The one we had was cheap, offered us the negatives, and did an adequate job. I loved the pictures at the time, but now, having actually taken wedding pictures myself, I have to kind of laugh. Being a photographer, and loving photographs the way I do, I think a good wedding photographer is well worth the money. The photographs are the only thing that you'll keep forever of that wedding day (well, aside from your spouse, I hope!).
However, I would NOT change who I married. I knew it was the right choice then, even though I was only 20, and I still know it was the right choice. Ben has been through a lot with me. His life has been changed almost as much as mine has been with my illness. I think sometimes about how I would react if our roles were reversed, and I admire him and love him even more for how he has coped with everything. Our lives have not turned out exactly the way we imagined back in 1997, but the most important things have.
In another 12 years, will I look back on myself and think, "Oh, how young she was. How naive!"? I kind of hope so, because it will mean I have been able to grow and progress even further.
Here are some pictures (not great quality, scanned from 4x6's) of that day 12 years ago.
I still love my dress and veil. It was not a typical wedding dress. In fact, it wasn't intended to be a wedding dress at all. I wanted one I could also use as a Temple dress, and my mom found this at a 1920's store in the mall, of all places. Some details were added, like lace at the waistline and wrists, but not much else. I'm so glad I chose that dress, I really love putting it on again when I'm in the Temple. I also wanted a long veil, and I still love the one we chose. My mom discovered on the morning of my wedding that it was sewn onto the headpiece backward. I remember her frantically restitching it that morning as everyone was getting ready. I do wish I'd had my hair professionally done. I've never had my hair professionally done, actually. It looked ok, but that is one thing I would change.
I wish I remembered what we were talking about. This is on the big lawn in front of the entrance to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
I like this one, walking out of the Temple. I would DEFINITELY have had my bouquet ready for the Temple photographs. I can't remember why I didn't have it. I think it wasn't ready in time or something. So my mom brought along some fake silk hydrangeas. As much as I love hydrangeas (that was the flower I wanted for my reception, but they weren't widely available in Utah in April!), the cheap fake hydrangeas are really not what I would choose today.
Oh, such a cheesy, posed, prom-picture shot! And the photographer cut off our hands! Aargh! (cutting off hands and fingers is a big no-no, in case you didn't know) But it's still cute in its own way. I would also not have Ben wear a bow-tie with his tux, if we were to be married again. But see how pretty the actual bouquet was?
Gosh, we just look SO YOUNG. I was 20. Just a girl! And my parents let me make this decision? :-)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Science Geek
I've always been a science geek. My favorite projects in elementary school were my report on Mars, the life-sized skeleton I drew inside an outline of myself on butcher paper, and my science project on cancer (my brother was undergoing cancer treatments during that time). I actually can't really remember any other specific projects I did in elementary school, except for the infamous Mission project (all my siblings will relate).
I'm still a science geek. On Monday I had a conversation with our cleaning lady's son (he works with her) about string theory after he heard me answer Brigham's question about what was the smallest piece of anything that there can be. (I said it was an unimaginably tiny oscillating loop of energy-- is that about right?). (Also, have I ever said how much I love our cleaning lady? She is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. Her 19-20 year old son is her business partner at the moment. I don't feel right relating her life stories on my blog, but she really is a fascinating person. And really nice. And a really good cleaner. Anyway.)
So I love teaching my boys science. It's my favorite subject to teach them.
We did chemistry lessons from Sept-Dec., and we've been working our way through physics from January until now. We've gone through mechanics, sound, light, and we're now doing electricity, with magnetism following that. Over the summer we'll do a unit on Astronomy and weather, and next fall we'll start with biology.
I get so excited thinking about the projects we can do!
My science lessons go like this:
1. Introduce the topic.
2. Read from a selection of several science books I have.
3. Talk about the experiment or project we will do, and how it relates to what we've learned.
4. Do the experiment/project!
5. Write a lab report.
My boys don't particularly like doing the lab report, but I think it's a really important step in helping them connect all the information they've learned and then be able to synthesize a coherent summary of it all. Plus they're learning the scientific method!
At this point I write the report (with their input) on a white board, and they copy it or type it, and then draw diagrams or whatever else is necessary.
Yesterday we had a lesson on batteries and how they work (it was cool to show them how physics and chemistry are just different branches of the same science), and made a lemon battery. The boys were thrilled when it worked. You can see the needle showing a voltage if you look close.
My kids had a great time doing this project and it was very easy. I didn't have to buy any materials at all (I also used to be a home-repair geek and so I had 22-gauge electrical wire and a voltmeter in my garage) .
If you want to do this with your kids, here are some simple instructions. I like the instructions on that site, but this one gives a better chemical explanation.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Earth Day 2009
Well, another Earth Day has come and gone. Sigh... How will I ever wait a whole year until the next one? :-)
Earth Day is also the birthday of my very favorite triplet nieces/nephew! Happy 5th Birthday Jane, Kate, and Zach!
The big news of the day is that Ben got Lasik surgery! He is now glasses-free. The procedure was amazingly fast, and he said he walked out of the place seeing better than he ever has. He's been excited and nervous about this for a while, so I am very happy for him. Brigham asked me in the car, "Why can't the doctors do something to fix your legs like they can fix dad's eyes?" Boy, I wish they could.
The boys had horseback riding lessons today, so in honor of Earth Day, and another bluebonnet season here in central Texas, we drove up the road a mile or two until we found a nice patch of bluebonnets. I bribed the boys with the promise of Sonic slushes and they grudgingly cooperated for about 5 minutes. Good enough.
I remember the first year doing this here in Austin, I had been home from my first MS-related hospital stay for about 3 weeks, and I was feeling amazing. I hardly had any MS symptoms at all. We were by this train track and Mosey was only 3, and suddenly I realized I didn't know where he was! I panicked, and sprinted toward the train tracks. He wasn't very close, but I scooped him up anyway and carried him back over to where the big boys and I were. Imagine that-- I *sprinted.* And actually carried my son. Not on my lap in a wheelchair.
Then last year we were at a park behind the YMCA and I was walking around with my cane. Yes, with my cane, but I was walking around. Over a big field of grass and back, and then from the car across the parking lot into another field. I couldn't do that now.
So this year's pictures are a little bittersweet for me. I parked on the side of the road, got out and walked with my crutches about 15 feet or so for these pictures, and was pretty-well beat by the time we were done. Will I even be able to take bluebonnet pictures at all next year? I hope so. But I really don't know.
Some things are better left un-pondered, I think.
How to live in the moment when you are so scared about the future? It's a constant struggle.
But it was a glorious day here. Warm, sunny, just perfect. I do love this Earth of ours.
Earth Day is also the birthday of my very favorite triplet nieces/nephew! Happy 5th Birthday Jane, Kate, and Zach!
The big news of the day is that Ben got Lasik surgery! He is now glasses-free. The procedure was amazingly fast, and he said he walked out of the place seeing better than he ever has. He's been excited and nervous about this for a while, so I am very happy for him. Brigham asked me in the car, "Why can't the doctors do something to fix your legs like they can fix dad's eyes?" Boy, I wish they could.
The boys had horseback riding lessons today, so in honor of Earth Day, and another bluebonnet season here in central Texas, we drove up the road a mile or two until we found a nice patch of bluebonnets. I bribed the boys with the promise of Sonic slushes and they grudgingly cooperated for about 5 minutes. Good enough.
I remember the first year doing this here in Austin, I had been home from my first MS-related hospital stay for about 3 weeks, and I was feeling amazing. I hardly had any MS symptoms at all. We were by this train track and Mosey was only 3, and suddenly I realized I didn't know where he was! I panicked, and sprinted toward the train tracks. He wasn't very close, but I scooped him up anyway and carried him back over to where the big boys and I were. Imagine that-- I *sprinted.* And actually carried my son. Not on my lap in a wheelchair.
Then last year we were at a park behind the YMCA and I was walking around with my cane. Yes, with my cane, but I was walking around. Over a big field of grass and back, and then from the car across the parking lot into another field. I couldn't do that now.
So this year's pictures are a little bittersweet for me. I parked on the side of the road, got out and walked with my crutches about 15 feet or so for these pictures, and was pretty-well beat by the time we were done. Will I even be able to take bluebonnet pictures at all next year? I hope so. But I really don't know.
Some things are better left un-pondered, I think.
How to live in the moment when you are so scared about the future? It's a constant struggle.
But it was a glorious day here. Warm, sunny, just perfect. I do love this Earth of ours.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Easter pictures
Ok, so finally here are my Easter pictures. I know, you have been waiting with baited breath.
Easter morning started out raining and grey and yucky. But miraculously (it seemed) during church, every cloud blew away and by the time we went home it was a perfectly sunny, warm, gorgeous spring day.
I made belgium waffles and strawberry sauce, and Ben cooked some bacon for our Easter lunch.
Then we dyed eggs. It made a big mess. I made the boys take their shirts off for the egg dyeing.
Yes, the selective coloring is cheesy, but isn't he cute?
Joseph had to eat a couple. He only likes the yolk, which works out well because I only like the white. Dipped in salt sprinkled directly on the kitchen table, of course.
Brigham, being an artist, made an elaborate design on his egg in crayon before dyeing it.
He's very serious about his work.
The day before, Joseph had found a green anole lizard outside (it's brown in these pictures because they change from bright green, to brown, to grey, to almost black depending on the background-- they are cool creatures), and got very attached. He kept it for a couple of days, and then let him go on Monday. He's been going on and on about getting a lizard ever since. But he first has to earn enough money for the cage, food, light, and all that stuff. He loves animals. We'll see if he loves animals more than he loves to spend the money that burns holes in his pockets.
Contemplating each other. This lizard was pretty tame, he didn't try to run away at all.
After egg-dyeing, we had our candy egg hunt outside. Ben hid plastic eggs inthe yard, and the boys and I devised a scavenger hunt for Ben inside.
I sat on the back porch and tried to grab some shots as I could. Gone are the days when I ran around, chasing my kids as they searched for eggs, getting those cute shots...
Mosey's still got a tiny bit of that baby belly left. I'll miss it so when he gets a little taller and turns into the lean, wiry boy that his brothers are now.
We're super-classy around here and used Walmart grocery bags instead of Easter baskets.
Joseph opened all of his eggs and dumped them onto the concrete on the back patio. Dirt? Eh, who cares?
Peanut m&m's, Whopper eggs, Hersheys chocolate eggs, and of course my most favorite, Starburst jellybeans. Just in time for our dentist appointments this week.
Easter morning started out raining and grey and yucky. But miraculously (it seemed) during church, every cloud blew away and by the time we went home it was a perfectly sunny, warm, gorgeous spring day.
I made belgium waffles and strawberry sauce, and Ben cooked some bacon for our Easter lunch.
Then we dyed eggs. It made a big mess. I made the boys take their shirts off for the egg dyeing.
Yes, the selective coloring is cheesy, but isn't he cute?
Joseph had to eat a couple. He only likes the yolk, which works out well because I only like the white. Dipped in salt sprinkled directly on the kitchen table, of course.
Brigham, being an artist, made an elaborate design on his egg in crayon before dyeing it.
He's very serious about his work.
The day before, Joseph had found a green anole lizard outside (it's brown in these pictures because they change from bright green, to brown, to grey, to almost black depending on the background-- they are cool creatures), and got very attached. He kept it for a couple of days, and then let him go on Monday. He's been going on and on about getting a lizard ever since. But he first has to earn enough money for the cage, food, light, and all that stuff. He loves animals. We'll see if he loves animals more than he loves to spend the money that burns holes in his pockets.
Contemplating each other. This lizard was pretty tame, he didn't try to run away at all.
After egg-dyeing, we had our candy egg hunt outside. Ben hid plastic eggs inthe yard, and the boys and I devised a scavenger hunt for Ben inside.
I sat on the back porch and tried to grab some shots as I could. Gone are the days when I ran around, chasing my kids as they searched for eggs, getting those cute shots...
Mosey's still got a tiny bit of that baby belly left. I'll miss it so when he gets a little taller and turns into the lean, wiry boy that his brothers are now.
We're super-classy around here and used Walmart grocery bags instead of Easter baskets.
Joseph opened all of his eggs and dumped them onto the concrete on the back patio. Dirt? Eh, who cares?
Peanut m&m's, Whopper eggs, Hersheys chocolate eggs, and of course my most favorite, Starburst jellybeans. Just in time for our dentist appointments this week.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter
Happy Easter everyone!
I have a bunch of pictures from our day today, but I am way too tired to upload them right now. I was up until 3:30 AM finishing the Relief Society newsletter. I didn't start until 11:00 PM, so it was all my fault. Anyway, I'll post more tomorrow (I hope).
We had a great day, full of candy and eggs and scripture reading and church, and, with some luck, good memories.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Want to be scared?
Then read this:
I just finished listening to it (thank you audible.com), and it kind of freaked me out.
Are you having trouble getting motivated to work on your food storage? You won't have any trouble after reading this book.
As Mormons, we focus a lot on self-sufficiency and preparedness, and we are encouraged to build up at least a 3-month supply of food (even better, a year's supply) and other necessities. Sometimes we are mocked for this focus, but it's not such a kooky idea. I know many people who have used their food storage during times of unemployment or other financial difficulties. And the scenario posed in this book is something that actually could happen right now.
Scary stuff.
I just finished listening to it (thank you audible.com), and it kind of freaked me out.
Are you having trouble getting motivated to work on your food storage? You won't have any trouble after reading this book.
As Mormons, we focus a lot on self-sufficiency and preparedness, and we are encouraged to build up at least a 3-month supply of food (even better, a year's supply) and other necessities. Sometimes we are mocked for this focus, but it's not such a kooky idea. I know many people who have used their food storage during times of unemployment or other financial difficulties. And the scenario posed in this book is something that actually could happen right now.
Scary stuff.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Another new roof
The morning after the big hail storm, dozens of these signs popped up like mushrooms on every street corner. It kind of made me laugh to think of all the roofing contractors driving around in the middle of the night, getting their signs posted before the next morning's rush hour. I wonder if they passed each other while posting their signs?
These are only some of the signs I've seen while driving around my little neighborhood. Who knew there were so many roofing companies?!
We've had a couple of roofing people come door-to-door offering free inspections and estimates, and according to them, we definitely need a new roof. I don't doubt it, since everyone I've talked to in our area who has had their insurance adjustors out has needed a new roof. Ours is coming next Wednesday, so we'll see.
The plus side is that we have homeowners insurance. The downside is that we have a 1% deductible, so we're still out about $3,000. Another upside is that we don't live in Florida, and we won't need an entirely new tile roof (which costs upwards of $25,000-$35,000). And a further upside is that now we can get a different color/style shingle, which we kind of wanted to do anyway. I'm trying to look on the positive side of things...
I'm happy for all the roofing companies who have undoubtedly seen a decline in business the last several months. They now have all the work they can handle! Let's hope we don't get another storm like that any time soon, though, because $3,000 every year will get very annoying.
Monday, April 06, 2009
bed time or blog time?
Hi everyone.
I'm still here! I made a goal this year to get serious about getting enough sleep. Well, I've not been perfect, but I am trying. Sadly, this goal means my computer time is limited. I have 16 minutes until my self-imposed bedtime, so we'll see how I do tonight.
We've been up to a few things around here, especially a House Organization Project.
I finally got around to organizing this house in a more usable way for me. All our books were upstairs, which really doesn't work for me, considering I can make, at best, one trip upstairs per day. More like one every week or 2 or 3. So we moved some furniture out and some bookshelves in, and at last I have most of the books I want downstairs. The arrangement is not quite as esthetically pleasing as it used to be, but lots more useful. It's taken quite a bit of time to get things arranged correctly, and my books organized.
I have 2 or 3 boxes of books to send to my sister (all the baby board books we've outgrown). Is that a nice thing to do or a mean thing? Sometimes getting other people's hand-me-downs is great, other times it just means that now YOU have to take them to Goodwill or trash them... I am not sending her all our baby books; some of them I couldn't bear to part with. I want to keep them so that my grandkids can look at the books that their daddies loved when they were little. Isn't that disgustingly sentimental? Oh well, I don't care.
I've also tackled the papers that have been mocking me for almost a year. I have all the boys put their drawings on a shelf, with the intention of going through them and choosing the best ones to keep. My boys are PROLIFIC artists, let me tell you. It took me a good 3 hours on Saturday (while listening to conference) to go through all the drawings. But now they're organized and the shelf is empty ready to be filled up with more drawings. It was actually sort of fascinating to go through all their drawings and compare the different styles the two boys have (Mosey isn't much of an artist yet, but he's getting there). I think there's a lot to learn about a child, just looking at drawings. Or patterns of drawings, I guess. I'll scan some of them to show some examples.
I also got all of Joseph's 1st grade papers sorted, and the ones worthy of keeping filed neatly in a three ring binder. I haven't done Brigham's yet, but his will be sorted this weekend. And then Mosey's preschool papers.
I just can't throw things away. I know my mom must have tossed nearly all of our school stuff out. With 9 kids going through elementary school, I cannot imagine the reams and reams of artwork, poems, stories, etc. that came home. But with only 3, I have the luxury of keeping some of them. I'm not sure my boys will ever look at them again, but I might. And their wives might. I love looking at some of the funny things Ben's mom kept from his school papers growing up. He has a picture he drew when he was 6 or 7 about what he wanted to be when he grew up. He drew a picture of a slide and wrote, "When I grow up, I want to be a slide." Yes, he was a smart-alec even as a little kid.
The boys have been doing well. School lessons are going swimmingly for the moment. Joseph is doing better with his attitude. He likes multiplication and division about 1000 times better than addition and subtraction, which helps his enthusiasm level considerably. I've also tried real hard to back off him a little. It's better for me to cultivate a good relationship between the two of us, and for him to develop a positive attitude toward school and learning, than for him to FINISH his math paper RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. So I back off, everything stays calmer, and he's a LOT more cooperative. It's a big change from a few months ago. And I have a few tricks up my sleeve of things he really likes, and I think he knows that I mean it when I tell him that he simply can't ride the horse unless his schoolwork is done. Or get an icee at Burger King after Mosey's speech therapy (the boys' weekly treat).
We also started yet another chore/reward system. The nickel jars worked pretty well for a while, but nickels are pretty annoying to deal with when the boys want to spend their money, and it just took too much work on my part. I'm pretty lazy, you know. So now we have a "Bank Balance" poster on the wall in the hallway. Now when they do a chore that I'm paying them for, it is their responsibility to write down the amount that they get. They're under strict orders not to cheat. If they do, they will get the extra amount deducted plus $1 which is a lot for them. And, happily, they are pretty good policemen to each other. So this has been working great, since I don't have to do any work! I tell them what they earned, they go write it down. Then if they choose to buy something at the store, we simply deduct the cost from their bank balance, and we don't have to have a cash exchange at all.
I know it's working because I'm getting some VERY helpful boys, suddenly. They raked and bagged 8 big bags of leaves on Saturday, and Joseph and Brigham each earned a dollar by taking about 10 trips each up and down the stairs lugging books.
Joseph has been participating and interested in earning money, and that makes me very happy. I've given him chores, and if he doesn't seem to want to do them, I say, "Fine, I'll ask Brigham if he wants to earn 25 cents." Suddenly, Joseph wants to help! It's great.
I've been thinking a lot about how to teach my kids how to work, and how to avoid falling into the "entitlement" trap that so many Americans seem to be struggling with at the moment. It is hard.
I loved conference this weekend. I loved Elder Holland's talk. He and Elder Uchtdorf have the most compelling delivery styles, at least for me. I always look forward to reading the talks later, though, because sometimes there will be one that I sort of glossed over while listening, for one reason or another. But really, Elder Holland's talk was really powerful to me.
So basically, life is going pretty well at the moment. I will leave you with some pictures.
Bike riding at the church parking lot.
Here's my Mosey. I think it is so wonderful how children, no matter what they look like, are just THE cutest and the MOST adorable to their parents. At least so far. Maybe when mine are 14 and giving me attitude I won't think so? Anyway, I don't really know what my kids look like to other people, and I don't really care because to me, Mosey is the epitome of 5-year-old cuteness. He cannot be improved upon in any way.
I love his crinkled-nose smile. He still has a tiny bit of the baby-fat pudge, and I love, love, love it.
And this one, just because he's silly.
Joseph's been very camera-phobic recently, so for me to get a shot like this of him makes my day. Doesn't he look angelic? Ha! Don't be fooled. :-)
He recently learned to ride his bike without the training wheels. Yeah, I know, a little bit of a late-bloomer. He just didn't have the confidence before, and then one day a few weeks ago, he decided he was going to take them off, and then he just went! Just like that! No learning curve at all. Silly boy.
I have no idea what Joseph is finding so funny, but it must have been hilarious. He's wearing his cowboy boots, which he loves, and which I find totally endearing. Shorts with cowboy boots. Can't he just stay this age forever? Please?
It's so hard to get a natural picture of Brigham smiling. He is very serious when he's focused on an activity, and if I try to get him to talk about something to catch a smile, he's very animated and looks away a lot. I have a lot of great smiling shots where he's looking off to the side. Which is just fine, but sometimes I want a normal "look at me and smile" shot, you know? So I am pretty happy with this one. Brigham has such a gentle, good spirit, can you see it in his eyes? He actually stayed inside and LISTENED to all of the Sunday afternoon conference session, and then afterwards was reading his Book of Mormon and marking scriptures he liked. Why can't I be as naturally good as my son is??
He's also a good little bike-rider. And very focused and serious. I got a barely-half smile here. Look at how tall he's getting! We really need to raise the seat on his bike. Where do these tall kids of mine come from? How dare they grow up!!
I'm still here! I made a goal this year to get serious about getting enough sleep. Well, I've not been perfect, but I am trying. Sadly, this goal means my computer time is limited. I have 16 minutes until my self-imposed bedtime, so we'll see how I do tonight.
We've been up to a few things around here, especially a House Organization Project.
I finally got around to organizing this house in a more usable way for me. All our books were upstairs, which really doesn't work for me, considering I can make, at best, one trip upstairs per day. More like one every week or 2 or 3. So we moved some furniture out and some bookshelves in, and at last I have most of the books I want downstairs. The arrangement is not quite as esthetically pleasing as it used to be, but lots more useful. It's taken quite a bit of time to get things arranged correctly, and my books organized.
I have 2 or 3 boxes of books to send to my sister (all the baby board books we've outgrown). Is that a nice thing to do or a mean thing? Sometimes getting other people's hand-me-downs is great, other times it just means that now YOU have to take them to Goodwill or trash them... I am not sending her all our baby books; some of them I couldn't bear to part with. I want to keep them so that my grandkids can look at the books that their daddies loved when they were little. Isn't that disgustingly sentimental? Oh well, I don't care.
I've also tackled the papers that have been mocking me for almost a year. I have all the boys put their drawings on a shelf, with the intention of going through them and choosing the best ones to keep. My boys are PROLIFIC artists, let me tell you. It took me a good 3 hours on Saturday (while listening to conference) to go through all the drawings. But now they're organized and the shelf is empty ready to be filled up with more drawings. It was actually sort of fascinating to go through all their drawings and compare the different styles the two boys have (Mosey isn't much of an artist yet, but he's getting there). I think there's a lot to learn about a child, just looking at drawings. Or patterns of drawings, I guess. I'll scan some of them to show some examples.
I also got all of Joseph's 1st grade papers sorted, and the ones worthy of keeping filed neatly in a three ring binder. I haven't done Brigham's yet, but his will be sorted this weekend. And then Mosey's preschool papers.
I just can't throw things away. I know my mom must have tossed nearly all of our school stuff out. With 9 kids going through elementary school, I cannot imagine the reams and reams of artwork, poems, stories, etc. that came home. But with only 3, I have the luxury of keeping some of them. I'm not sure my boys will ever look at them again, but I might. And their wives might. I love looking at some of the funny things Ben's mom kept from his school papers growing up. He has a picture he drew when he was 6 or 7 about what he wanted to be when he grew up. He drew a picture of a slide and wrote, "When I grow up, I want to be a slide." Yes, he was a smart-alec even as a little kid.
The boys have been doing well. School lessons are going swimmingly for the moment. Joseph is doing better with his attitude. He likes multiplication and division about 1000 times better than addition and subtraction, which helps his enthusiasm level considerably. I've also tried real hard to back off him a little. It's better for me to cultivate a good relationship between the two of us, and for him to develop a positive attitude toward school and learning, than for him to FINISH his math paper RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. So I back off, everything stays calmer, and he's a LOT more cooperative. It's a big change from a few months ago. And I have a few tricks up my sleeve of things he really likes, and I think he knows that I mean it when I tell him that he simply can't ride the horse unless his schoolwork is done. Or get an icee at Burger King after Mosey's speech therapy (the boys' weekly treat).
We also started yet another chore/reward system. The nickel jars worked pretty well for a while, but nickels are pretty annoying to deal with when the boys want to spend their money, and it just took too much work on my part. I'm pretty lazy, you know. So now we have a "Bank Balance" poster on the wall in the hallway. Now when they do a chore that I'm paying them for, it is their responsibility to write down the amount that they get. They're under strict orders not to cheat. If they do, they will get the extra amount deducted plus $1 which is a lot for them. And, happily, they are pretty good policemen to each other. So this has been working great, since I don't have to do any work! I tell them what they earned, they go write it down. Then if they choose to buy something at the store, we simply deduct the cost from their bank balance, and we don't have to have a cash exchange at all.
I know it's working because I'm getting some VERY helpful boys, suddenly. They raked and bagged 8 big bags of leaves on Saturday, and Joseph and Brigham each earned a dollar by taking about 10 trips each up and down the stairs lugging books.
Joseph has been participating and interested in earning money, and that makes me very happy. I've given him chores, and if he doesn't seem to want to do them, I say, "Fine, I'll ask Brigham if he wants to earn 25 cents." Suddenly, Joseph wants to help! It's great.
I've been thinking a lot about how to teach my kids how to work, and how to avoid falling into the "entitlement" trap that so many Americans seem to be struggling with at the moment. It is hard.
I loved conference this weekend. I loved Elder Holland's talk. He and Elder Uchtdorf have the most compelling delivery styles, at least for me. I always look forward to reading the talks later, though, because sometimes there will be one that I sort of glossed over while listening, for one reason or another. But really, Elder Holland's talk was really powerful to me.
So basically, life is going pretty well at the moment. I will leave you with some pictures.
Bike riding at the church parking lot.
Here's my Mosey. I think it is so wonderful how children, no matter what they look like, are just THE cutest and the MOST adorable to their parents. At least so far. Maybe when mine are 14 and giving me attitude I won't think so? Anyway, I don't really know what my kids look like to other people, and I don't really care because to me, Mosey is the epitome of 5-year-old cuteness. He cannot be improved upon in any way.
I love his crinkled-nose smile. He still has a tiny bit of the baby-fat pudge, and I love, love, love it.
And this one, just because he's silly.
Joseph's been very camera-phobic recently, so for me to get a shot like this of him makes my day. Doesn't he look angelic? Ha! Don't be fooled. :-)
He recently learned to ride his bike without the training wheels. Yeah, I know, a little bit of a late-bloomer. He just didn't have the confidence before, and then one day a few weeks ago, he decided he was going to take them off, and then he just went! Just like that! No learning curve at all. Silly boy.
I have no idea what Joseph is finding so funny, but it must have been hilarious. He's wearing his cowboy boots, which he loves, and which I find totally endearing. Shorts with cowboy boots. Can't he just stay this age forever? Please?
It's so hard to get a natural picture of Brigham smiling. He is very serious when he's focused on an activity, and if I try to get him to talk about something to catch a smile, he's very animated and looks away a lot. I have a lot of great smiling shots where he's looking off to the side. Which is just fine, but sometimes I want a normal "look at me and smile" shot, you know? So I am pretty happy with this one. Brigham has such a gentle, good spirit, can you see it in his eyes? He actually stayed inside and LISTENED to all of the Sunday afternoon conference session, and then afterwards was reading his Book of Mormon and marking scriptures he liked. Why can't I be as naturally good as my son is??
He's also a good little bike-rider. And very focused and serious. I got a barely-half smile here. Look at how tall he's getting! We really need to raise the seat on his bike. Where do these tall kids of mine come from? How dare they grow up!!
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