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:
1 comment:
I have to remind myself not to project my own idiosyncracies onto Dave, as well. I tend to think that anything relaxing or recreational done during the morning (and really, when I'm being hardcore, during daylight hours) is time wasted, so I will sometimes shoot daggers with my eyes when Dave is reading a book or catching up on a show on a Saturday morning. Relax, Naomi. I need ot tell myself that more :).
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