I'm mostly happy with the schedule my kids have got going. I had started with everyone needing to finish their chores/practicing/schoolwork by 12:00, but was met with universal protests by the 3rd day. So now they have to get all their stuff done before they get any screen time. If that works, fine. I just can't handle having practicing and schoolwork spread out through the whole day. As of now, I think only one child has done his piano practicing, and it is 12:24, so I may say practicing all has to get done by 12:00, I don't know.
I'm also letting the boys practice by themselves. This is really hard for me! It's liberating not to be tied to the violin or piano or cello or flute for 3 hours a day, but also very hard for my control streak. We'll see how that goes this summer. Brigham was doing most of his practicing by himself before, so it's not so much a new thing for him. I told the boys I reserve the right to yell out corrections from the other room, or come in and request that they play some part again, but that mostly they're on their own.
Yesterday my car refused to start and we were stranded at the piano teacher's house. Wonderful. My car had done this on Saturday night/Sunday morning as well, but then "fixed itself" by Monday morning. Well, it was not fixed, apparently, and I was just glad we were somewhere safe where we could wait inside for Ben to come rescue us. He ended up calling a mobile mechanic, which was awesome. They were there within an hour and a half, and within 2 and a half hours, the problem was fixed! We needed a new fuel pump, apparently. I'm never again going to drop my car off at the mechanics and have them keep it hostage until they feel like getting around to it!
But it wasn't done on time for me to take Brigham to violin lessons, so he walked. He didn't want to take his bike because he doesn't know where his bike lock is, and Joseph's bike lock is really hard to use, so he put his violin case on his back, his music bag over his shoulder, and walked through the blazing hot 90+ afternoon sun. But it was done in time for me to go pick him up, and we stopped by Burger King to get him a frozen lemonade as a treat. He told me he'd rather walk to violin 10 times and get a frozen lemonade, than be driven. Hey, this kid must be mine-- highly motivated by treats. :-)
I went to a Relief Society activity in the evening-- a swim party with the young women in the ward. I actually did get in to "swim" (if you can call what I do swimming :-)), although most of the women did not. It was fun and I'm glad I went, even though I really don't love those kinds of social scenes. Too many people, and yet somehow not really anyone to talk to. The dilemma of the introvert, I guess. I did have a good conversation with one of the young women about good YA books I can look into for our road trip this summer, so that was something.
OK, here's a cute picture of Mosey in the pool yesterday.
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