I missed posting last week. I had a long week and was tired and Rob was headed out of town for the week--camping. Anyway we all survived.
Kids update.
Last week Jacob got on a Journey kick. Journey is an artsy video game which is played online, and you help other people go through the game. Rob really likes. Jacob played it twice in hopes of becoming one of the guides so that he could help other people through. he watched videos to find the scripts and when that didn't work, he got Rob to advise him on where to go. Jacob always acts out the games that he is playing, and part of becoming a guide is that the robe color changes in the game. He started wearing a white t-shirt inside out to indicate that he had become a guide.
This week he has also decided that he wants to take parkour lessons. He has been climbing walls, jumping, and pouncing everywhere and watching YouTube for hints and tips and tricks. Hopefully he'll come out of this experience without anything broken.
Caleb has been doing really well lately. he really stepped up while Rob was gone and kept a level head. He is my most reluctant one to get up on school mornings, and he was up and dressed in time to drive Beth every morning. He also went to bed a lot easier. I know Caleb is just looking forward to good weather so he can run around outside and ride his bike. Today he insisted on playing the Clarinet for our home teacher for several songs. He's really improved over the year.
Beth is finishing up her third quarter of middle school. She is growing up so fast. I'm really proud of her, because she didn't initially want to go to the Women's broadcast, and i showed her the ad. Then she decided to go. She felt the spirit there so strongly that she thanked me afterward for taking her. it meant a lot to me. I know that Beth is really trying hard to do the right thing and to reach out to others.
Like I said we survived the week of Rob being gone. I missed having him home, but the kids did really well. They missed him too. rob came home tired, and decidedly not interested in going outside, which isn't like him.
Have a great week!
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
I grow old... I grow old... I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled.
So that is the line that has been floating around in my head all week. Not that I'm really old. But birthdays have a way of making you step back and take stock of your life. It's funny how a poem that you read and studied and picked apart years ago will pop up at the strangest times. Words really have power. Since the poem was in my head, I looked it up online and read it again. And with the weight of my oh so many years behind me, compared to my college freshman and sophomore years when I really studied the poem, I've found a much deeper meaning in the poem than I did in the past. It still speaks to me, and I love the imagery Eliot evokes throughout the poem. Images still pop out at me years after I read it. If you have never read the poem, it's worth it.
This week the kids adjusted surprisingly well to the time change. They are growing up so much and getting more and more independent. Beth is waking herself up for school each day, and it's so much nicer in the morning now. Jacob loves getting up early in the morning and having a bit of time to chill out watching television before he goes to school. I think he looks forward to the quiet. He is usually the most agreeable about going to bed when I ask him to.
Not much happened this week. Rob and I were fighting colds most of the week, and Rob missed two days of work. I love having him home with me, even if it is a bit harder to be motivated when he is home, especially when he isn't working too.
We had stake conference this weekend, and ward conference next week. We have a new stake president, and I love hearing the new perspective and messages. Not that they've really changed--more that they are coming from different experiences and with a different way of sharing. It was also regional conference, so we had a broadcast from Salt Lake, and the talk that really stood out to me was self discipline. So many great quotes, and principles in that talk. I wish I could get a copy of it written down.
Anyway that was our week. Hope you have a great one!
So that is the line that has been floating around in my head all week. Not that I'm really old. But birthdays have a way of making you step back and take stock of your life. It's funny how a poem that you read and studied and picked apart years ago will pop up at the strangest times. Words really have power. Since the poem was in my head, I looked it up online and read it again. And with the weight of my oh so many years behind me, compared to my college freshman and sophomore years when I really studied the poem, I've found a much deeper meaning in the poem than I did in the past. It still speaks to me, and I love the imagery Eliot evokes throughout the poem. Images still pop out at me years after I read it. If you have never read the poem, it's worth it.
This week the kids adjusted surprisingly well to the time change. They are growing up so much and getting more and more independent. Beth is waking herself up for school each day, and it's so much nicer in the morning now. Jacob loves getting up early in the morning and having a bit of time to chill out watching television before he goes to school. I think he looks forward to the quiet. He is usually the most agreeable about going to bed when I ask him to.
Not much happened this week. Rob and I were fighting colds most of the week, and Rob missed two days of work. I love having him home with me, even if it is a bit harder to be motivated when he is home, especially when he isn't working too.
We had stake conference this weekend, and ward conference next week. We have a new stake president, and I love hearing the new perspective and messages. Not that they've really changed--more that they are coming from different experiences and with a different way of sharing. It was also regional conference, so we had a broadcast from Salt Lake, and the talk that really stood out to me was self discipline. So many great quotes, and principles in that talk. I wish I could get a copy of it written down.
Anyway that was our week. Hope you have a great one!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
No More Winter! Where the Heck Is Spring?
We missed another day of school to an ice storm. It didn't do much here, but I think they made the right call with no school on Tuesday. The kids are loving it, but I don't know how they'll feel when they are going to school in the middle of June, which is the solution to save Spring Break.
It's March, it's time for warm weather, flowers to grow and spring time. It's time to start wearing shorts, and to enjoy days of seventy degree weather that are absolutely perfect. It is time to embrace happiness and sunshine and even rainbows. Spring, it's time to bring it!
Rob went with the kids to visit his parents over the weekend. I got a house of quiet to myself. Every now and then I need that. The quiet, but also the not being responsible for everything else. I enjoy not cooking and not cleaning and not bathing the kids sometimes. I love my kids. They are great kids so kind and sweet and overall good natured.
I needed to brace myself for the week that Rob is going to be gone and I'll be flying solo. I'm not that great at that. I know I'll be a little crazy by end of the week when he comes back. I don't think I could handle it if he had to travel for work all of the time. Rob is going to be working on getting his Woodbadge, which is the equivalent of Eagle for scout leaders. It means he'll be gone camping for a week, and I'll basically be a single parent for that time.
This week I turn 36. Uggh! When did I get old, not that I'm really all that old. It's more like I look at my life and where I am, and where I thought I'd be at this age and I sigh. Still so much I want to accomplish and do. But then I look at what I have accomplished, and it does help to balance things out a bit.
We sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go Dear Lord" in sacrament meeting today, and it always makes me think. I love this song and I have since I first heard it. It's funny how different lines jump out at me at different times in my life. Today the thoughts were focused on the fact that I can serve Him from where I am. I don't have to be responded to a huge call from a mountaintop or on a mission (like that's going to happen right now) or with a huge calling. It doesn't have to be in a visible way, but I can still serve Him and be His mouthpiece, and His hands and His heart for someone else out there. I can still be the person that He wants me to be.
Continuing on a spiritual note, I just taught a lesson about Grace, and it is such an interesting topic that I really hadn't spent a lot of time focusing on before. I've seen the Lord's hand in my life again and again, and today was the first time that I connected it with Grace. It is through His grace that we are helped and strengthened.
As a parent I've realized just how unique every child is. Truly unique. It's a wonderful thing to see how their personalities and strengths and weaknesses are different. Each of my children have their own set of challenges and their own set of awesomeness. I'm sure you feel the same way about your kids.
Have a great week!
It's March, it's time for warm weather, flowers to grow and spring time. It's time to start wearing shorts, and to enjoy days of seventy degree weather that are absolutely perfect. It is time to embrace happiness and sunshine and even rainbows. Spring, it's time to bring it!
Rob went with the kids to visit his parents over the weekend. I got a house of quiet to myself. Every now and then I need that. The quiet, but also the not being responsible for everything else. I enjoy not cooking and not cleaning and not bathing the kids sometimes. I love my kids. They are great kids so kind and sweet and overall good natured.
I needed to brace myself for the week that Rob is going to be gone and I'll be flying solo. I'm not that great at that. I know I'll be a little crazy by end of the week when he comes back. I don't think I could handle it if he had to travel for work all of the time. Rob is going to be working on getting his Woodbadge, which is the equivalent of Eagle for scout leaders. It means he'll be gone camping for a week, and I'll basically be a single parent for that time.
This week I turn 36. Uggh! When did I get old, not that I'm really all that old. It's more like I look at my life and where I am, and where I thought I'd be at this age and I sigh. Still so much I want to accomplish and do. But then I look at what I have accomplished, and it does help to balance things out a bit.
We sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go Dear Lord" in sacrament meeting today, and it always makes me think. I love this song and I have since I first heard it. It's funny how different lines jump out at me at different times in my life. Today the thoughts were focused on the fact that I can serve Him from where I am. I don't have to be responded to a huge call from a mountaintop or on a mission (like that's going to happen right now) or with a huge calling. It doesn't have to be in a visible way, but I can still serve Him and be His mouthpiece, and His hands and His heart for someone else out there. I can still be the person that He wants me to be.
Continuing on a spiritual note, I just taught a lesson about Grace, and it is such an interesting topic that I really hadn't spent a lot of time focusing on before. I've seen the Lord's hand in my life again and again, and today was the first time that I connected it with Grace. It is through His grace that we are helped and strengthened.
As a parent I've realized just how unique every child is. Truly unique. It's a wonderful thing to see how their personalities and strengths and weaknesses are different. Each of my children have their own set of challenges and their own set of awesomeness. I'm sure you feel the same way about your kids.
Have a great week!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Wondering Where the Week Went
It seems like time is just slipping by super fast. This week was pretty busy, because it was Blue and Gold Banquet, which is a big deal for the Cub Scouts. Rob's committee chairman and somehow we ended up doing virtually everything for the meeting. We set up the church, tables and everything else. By the time it was over, we were all exhausted and cranky.
Jacob has been giving social studies projects this year. Something that has started with Common Core. Basically he has to make a poster, write a report and give an oral presentation every quarter. It needs to be all his own work, and you can imagine what that means they are getting from first graders. His next one is due tomorrow, and I sort of forgot about it. The others we finished earlier. he was quite upset that we wen't done, and so we sat down and did the poster. Then he worried and worried about the written report until it was done. It is really refreshing to have someone that willingly does his homework AND Wants to do a good job AND who doesn't wait until 9:30 the night before to start. I'm hoping this happy trend will follow him throughout out his school years. We were already fighting the other two with homework by this point.
Study hall is working overall most days. Wednesdays are rough with activities, but it's doing fairly well overall. I highly recommend it. Now the next goal is to get really consistent with family prayer. We are a family of non morning people so that option is out. We're getting there.
Beth has her first trip to the mall without parents. She seemed to have a great time, and I really didn't worry. But ob worried a lot. He thinks it is too dangerous. But she was safe the whole time.
Caleb is doing well too. Right now he is playing Minecraft as happy as he ever is. he loves video games.
Have a great week!
Jacob has been giving social studies projects this year. Something that has started with Common Core. Basically he has to make a poster, write a report and give an oral presentation every quarter. It needs to be all his own work, and you can imagine what that means they are getting from first graders. His next one is due tomorrow, and I sort of forgot about it. The others we finished earlier. he was quite upset that we wen't done, and so we sat down and did the poster. Then he worried and worried about the written report until it was done. It is really refreshing to have someone that willingly does his homework AND Wants to do a good job AND who doesn't wait until 9:30 the night before to start. I'm hoping this happy trend will follow him throughout out his school years. We were already fighting the other two with homework by this point.
Study hall is working overall most days. Wednesdays are rough with activities, but it's doing fairly well overall. I highly recommend it. Now the next goal is to get really consistent with family prayer. We are a family of non morning people so that option is out. We're getting there.
Beth has her first trip to the mall without parents. She seemed to have a great time, and I really didn't worry. But ob worried a lot. He thinks it is too dangerous. But she was safe the whole time.
Caleb is doing well too. Right now he is playing Minecraft as happy as he ever is. he loves video games.
Have a great week!