Summer is flying by.
The boys had some friends over on Saturday. They used to be in our ward until the ward split, and then they moved to Utah. Jacob is 1 month older than the twins, and Andrew is 1 month older than Mosey, so they match up great. We miss them a lot. The kids have been in Austin visiting their dad, and so they've been able to get together with our boys a couple of times. They played airsoft (donning thick jackets and face masks, even in the heat!-- that's dedication), went swimming, and played Tanki and World of Tanks. Before bed I let them watch an hour or so of Netflix. Joseph chose an episode of X-files which I hope did not scar the other boys forever. My boys have a pretty high tolerance for dark drama, being my sons and all... :-) Then the Anderson boys chose an episode of "Jessie" which I guess is a Disney show. It was a pretty cute show, but I think went largely over the heads of my boys, since it was so full of pop references and jokes that my boys don't really get. I was kind of happy to see how uninterested my boys were in that show, but it also elicited the familiar anxieties and second-guessings about how we're raising these boys...
Anyway, here is a video of the twins and Jacob sword-fighting in the front yard. My boys take it extremely seriously. :-)
Monday, July 08, 2013
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Happy Independence Day!
Don't you think this holiday should be referred to exclusively as Independence Day? It might help us remember a little more of its pretty cool origins. I mean, we don't celebrate "December 25th," do we? Anyway, I hope everyone had a fun Independence Day!! We sure did.
I got up before anyone else was awake (these late summer nights lend themselves nicely to some quiet, peaceful mornings around here!), and ran to Walmart for some groceries. Back home, I made a 4th of July brunch of bacon (a serious treat at our house), pancakes, and whipped cream, blueberries, and strawberries. The boys were especially excited about the whipped cream (from a can! also a serious treat at our house). :-)
Afterward, we went outside to put up our American flags and pose for the yearly obligatory 4th of July pictures. I managed to offend 2 of my 3 boys during this process. Maybe next year I'll get all three... Are the pictures worth it? I think so. Being mad at mom lasts a little while, but a picture is forever. :-)
This picture was taken before I really offended Mosey. I should have just stopped with this one and saved him the aggravation, because it is definitely my favorite of the bunch. Sorry Mosey!
Anyway, after the picture-taking ordeal, we headed down to Lady Bird Lake to go kayaking. A couple of my boys were lobbying for the liberty of unrestricted computer-game-playing (hey, it *is* Independence Day!), but I was adamant-- we are doing something *real* today!! And it was a great success. Mosey, my main computer-game-playing-supplicant, told Ben and me over and over again how he wanted to buy a kayak so he could go kayaking way more often. :-) We rowed almost all the way up to the dam, to where the current got a bit too strong (this is one of several lakes damming up the Colorado River, so the dam was actually the one holding back Lake Austin and releasing water into Lady Bird Lake). Ben and the boys stopped at one point at what we thought was an island (turned out to be a long peninsula) to swim to shore and take several jumps from a rope swing into the water. Overall, it was great fun. Next time I'm going to put my little camera in a waterproof bag so I can take a few pictures along the way. That part of the lake is incredibly beautiful with sheer limestone cliffs rising up out of the towering, almost tropical trees and lush greenery lining the shores.
Back at home, we had a barbecue, and went swimming. We discussed the Declaration of Independence and our favorite Founding Fathers, and enjoyed the fairly mild weather we've been having the past several days. We were pretty beat from kayaking all afternoon and decided to forego making the trek downtown, braving the traffic and the crowds to listen to the symphony and watch fireworks. Instead we watched Lost, drank root beer floats, and then drove up to watch the Cedar Park fireworks from the roof of the van. Not as exciting, and the music was definitely not as good, but you can't beat the 5 minute drive to and from!
I got up before anyone else was awake (these late summer nights lend themselves nicely to some quiet, peaceful mornings around here!), and ran to Walmart for some groceries. Back home, I made a 4th of July brunch of bacon (a serious treat at our house), pancakes, and whipped cream, blueberries, and strawberries. The boys were especially excited about the whipped cream (from a can! also a serious treat at our house). :-)
Afterward, we went outside to put up our American flags and pose for the yearly obligatory 4th of July pictures. I managed to offend 2 of my 3 boys during this process. Maybe next year I'll get all three... Are the pictures worth it? I think so. Being mad at mom lasts a little while, but a picture is forever. :-)
(Joseph and Mosey are in serious need of a haircut)
Joseph requested that his picture be taken with our Texas flag. It's red, white, and blue, so close enough, right? And we are pretty patriotic Texans. :-)
Anyway, after the picture-taking ordeal, we headed down to Lady Bird Lake to go kayaking. A couple of my boys were lobbying for the liberty of unrestricted computer-game-playing (hey, it *is* Independence Day!), but I was adamant-- we are doing something *real* today!! And it was a great success. Mosey, my main computer-game-playing-supplicant, told Ben and me over and over again how he wanted to buy a kayak so he could go kayaking way more often. :-) We rowed almost all the way up to the dam, to where the current got a bit too strong (this is one of several lakes damming up the Colorado River, so the dam was actually the one holding back Lake Austin and releasing water into Lady Bird Lake). Ben and the boys stopped at one point at what we thought was an island (turned out to be a long peninsula) to swim to shore and take several jumps from a rope swing into the water. Overall, it was great fun. Next time I'm going to put my little camera in a waterproof bag so I can take a few pictures along the way. That part of the lake is incredibly beautiful with sheer limestone cliffs rising up out of the towering, almost tropical trees and lush greenery lining the shores.
Back at home, we had a barbecue, and went swimming. We discussed the Declaration of Independence and our favorite Founding Fathers, and enjoyed the fairly mild weather we've been having the past several days. We were pretty beat from kayaking all afternoon and decided to forego making the trek downtown, braving the traffic and the crowds to listen to the symphony and watch fireworks. Instead we watched Lost, drank root beer floats, and then drove up to watch the Cedar Park fireworks from the roof of the van. Not as exciting, and the music was definitely not as good, but you can't beat the 5 minute drive to and from!
My fireworks pictures left a lot to be desired this year. Oh well.
And, that was it! A good day.
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
07/03/2013
I've been on a computer strike the past several days, trying to get some "real" stuff done.
Summer is going well.
Brigham loved his strings camp. I only had to go down there once during the week to bring him his dress shoes which he forgot on the bathroom floor. On Saturday we went down to San Marcos to listen to the final concert and take him home. He ended up 2nd chair, 2nd violin in the 2nd highest orchestra, so he was very happy. Yes, this is very mom-braggy, but he deserves it. Most of the kids in his orchestra were much older, and that was also gratifying to him. He took a fiddling class and composition class, as well as advanced theory. His composition was chosen as one of the pieces highlighted at the electives demonstration. But, they didn't give it back to him to take home!! Oh well, it's not like he has any lack of compositions floating around in his brain. He got along with his roommate, told us that the kids at camp were well-behaved and respectful, and that he definitely wants to go again! At least, until he discovered that his brothers got paid (WAY TOO MUCH) for dog-sitting our friend's dog. Then he told me, "If I would have known Hannah was coming, and they'd get paid so much, I wouldn't have gone to camp!" I'm guessing he'll probably re-think that conclusion. Still, it's interesting to see the innate human tendency to resent other people for "unearned" gain.
Joseph and Mosey had a quiet week without Brigham. Not too much practicing and schoolwork got done... This is hard for me. I'm such a productivity-driven person-- I tend to feel extremely grouchy with myself after a day without much to show for it (hence my computer strike). But it's not necessarily fair for me to project that onto my kids. I gave them the choice to do their schoolwork and practicing in return for screen time. If they choose not to do schoolwork or practicing, that's their choice. I guess what really gets my goat is the whining and complaining about doing chores (very simple, easy, fast chores) after a day spent doing pretty much nothing. But, I guess this is pretty normal for kids. And to be fair, there have been plenty of days when practicing and schoolwork have been completed, and chores have been done uncomplainingly. I know I need to relax.
I've been able to accomplish a few things. Not enough! I'm working on seminary stuff most every day. I'm making some new scripture mastery mnemonics. I've been practicing my violin as well-- almost every day. I want to join the Austin chamber orchestra-- the one Brigham's teacher is in, but I'm guessing that would really push me over the edge. Still, it's more fun to have a reason to practice. It's funny how much more enjoyable practicing is as an adult. I try to tell Joseph this, but he's not buying it. :-)
I have several books I was hoping to finish this summer. Not sure it's going to happen. But I need to finish these before I let myself buy more on Amazon! I completely blame my dad for my book-buying addiction.
(Here's the proof: These are only 2 shelves out of at least 10 that stretch floor-to-ceiling in my dad's "library.")
Like I said, we've done some dog-sitting. Hannah is a great big golden-doodle with oodles of hair, but she is so, so sweet. My boys love her. However, she did not love our cats. Or maybe she loved them too much. In any case, the cats hid out in Mosey's room most of the week, and have just now started venturing out.
Well, here are some pictures from the past few days:
Summer is going well.
Brigham loved his strings camp. I only had to go down there once during the week to bring him his dress shoes which he forgot on the bathroom floor. On Saturday we went down to San Marcos to listen to the final concert and take him home. He ended up 2nd chair, 2nd violin in the 2nd highest orchestra, so he was very happy. Yes, this is very mom-braggy, but he deserves it. Most of the kids in his orchestra were much older, and that was also gratifying to him. He took a fiddling class and composition class, as well as advanced theory. His composition was chosen as one of the pieces highlighted at the electives demonstration. But, they didn't give it back to him to take home!! Oh well, it's not like he has any lack of compositions floating around in his brain. He got along with his roommate, told us that the kids at camp were well-behaved and respectful, and that he definitely wants to go again! At least, until he discovered that his brothers got paid (WAY TOO MUCH) for dog-sitting our friend's dog. Then he told me, "If I would have known Hannah was coming, and they'd get paid so much, I wouldn't have gone to camp!" I'm guessing he'll probably re-think that conclusion. Still, it's interesting to see the innate human tendency to resent other people for "unearned" gain.
Joseph and Mosey had a quiet week without Brigham. Not too much practicing and schoolwork got done... This is hard for me. I'm such a productivity-driven person-- I tend to feel extremely grouchy with myself after a day without much to show for it (hence my computer strike). But it's not necessarily fair for me to project that onto my kids. I gave them the choice to do their schoolwork and practicing in return for screen time. If they choose not to do schoolwork or practicing, that's their choice. I guess what really gets my goat is the whining and complaining about doing chores (very simple, easy, fast chores) after a day spent doing pretty much nothing. But, I guess this is pretty normal for kids. And to be fair, there have been plenty of days when practicing and schoolwork have been completed, and chores have been done uncomplainingly. I know I need to relax.
I've been able to accomplish a few things. Not enough! I'm working on seminary stuff most every day. I'm making some new scripture mastery mnemonics. I've been practicing my violin as well-- almost every day. I want to join the Austin chamber orchestra-- the one Brigham's teacher is in, but I'm guessing that would really push me over the edge. Still, it's more fun to have a reason to practice. It's funny how much more enjoyable practicing is as an adult. I try to tell Joseph this, but he's not buying it. :-)
I have several books I was hoping to finish this summer. Not sure it's going to happen. But I need to finish these before I let myself buy more on Amazon! I completely blame my dad for my book-buying addiction.
(Here's the proof: These are only 2 shelves out of at least 10 that stretch floor-to-ceiling in my dad's "library.")
Like I said, we've done some dog-sitting. Hannah is a great big golden-doodle with oodles of hair, but she is so, so sweet. My boys love her. However, she did not love our cats. Or maybe she loved them too much. In any case, the cats hid out in Mosey's room most of the week, and have just now started venturing out.
Well, here are some pictures from the past few days:
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