Winter Blues Game

Who would like to play a little game? Something to brighten these long winter days?

I found this lamp at anthropologie...

Anthropologie Lamp

And I am so in love that it hurts. But so does that little price tag...$98.00 for a lamp shade is currently out of my budget...unless we quit eating for a couple of weeks (Don't think that I haven't entertained that idea very seriously.)

So here is my challenge. Let's all make one. But there are some ground rules! First, the whole project MUST cost less than $10.00. Find a lampshade that you already own, go to Good Will, garage sale, steal a neighbor's...and the materials must be inexpensive. I'm thinking a darling little number out of felt. I'm shooting for less than $5.00. Then, take a picture of it and post it on your blog and/or send it to me and I'll post it on my blog. Or better yet, send all your darling creations to me and I can keep them.

So...who wants a little challenge? Ready...set....GO!

Singing the Winter Blues

In my bedroom sits an old blue desk.


The desk is old and worn. It has 2 rectangular drawers with round, smooth knobs. On the top of the desk is a squiggly, white line that travels around the perimeter of the desktop. I like to imagine that someone had a boring, drab day and felt inspired to liven things up with a little change. They didn’t have money for a long vacation or time to spend on a big elaborate project so they opened that old jar of white paint and painted a design on top of their desk. I found this desk at an old mill that is now an antique shop. And I fell in love with it. There was something comfortable and soothing about the desk. I loved the random white squiggle line and smooth knobs and more than that, I could picture myself sitting at the desk looking out my bedroom window. And here I sit.

 This is what it looks like outside my window right now.

It is a rather drab day. The sky is gray and it makes the rest of the world look like it is covered in a thin gray layer. The grass is brown. The tree is bare. I love my blue Adirondack chair because it reminds me that warmer, brighter days are coming. It helps keep my sunny perspective when winter starts to feel just long and gray.


I have had a cold and cough for WEEKS now. Or it feels like weeks. No energy, tired, coughing, phlegm, yuck. It could be so much worse and I feel so grateful for good health. But it can make a day seem a little grayer.


Today Jacob is sick. It is Sunday and the doctor’s office is closed which is so unfortunate because I think he has strep throat and we can’t get him antibiotics until tomorrow. He also has strange swelling around his eyes. I don’t know if it is related to his throat or if he is having an allergic reaction to something but he is miserable.


But even in the middle of the gray, we have had lots of happy. In an effort to promote the good will and optimism of a gray winter, I’d like to share some of our happy.


1) Mr. Popper’s Penguins.


Every month my children have to read a book and do a book report. This month Matthew chose to read Mr. Popper’s Penguins and do a diorama of a scene from the book. Doing the diorama ended up involving the whole family because who can resist penguins made out of play dough and a giant refrigerator made from a box? The book is delightful and very old fashioned. We loved reading it and imagining penguins making a nest in an icebox!

2) Fancy Nancy Tea Party


One of Hannah’s friends invited her to attend a Fancy Nancy Tea Party at the library. It was a glorious affair! She dressed herself as fancy as she could manage and then we did a very elegant “heart” hair do. She came home waving her gold trimmed fan and speaking to us with her French accent! Nothing like a little fancy to chase away the gray!

3) Jacob turned 10 years old.


My boy is 10. A decade. No more single digits. Oh how I love my boy! I have felt such a close connection to him since I was pregnant with him. He is so smart. He is silly and genuinely funny. He loves to read and write stories. (He is so talented at both of those things.) He loves his friends and I have watched him this year really striving to be a good friend. He is considerate and very aware of others feelings. He bears his testimony every Fast Sunday and I always get teary eyed as I watch him express his feelings for the principles of the gospel. He understands so much. He is curious and inquisitive. He loves adventures. He is willing to try anything. He is really learning to be a good older brother and I am so proud of the moments I see him caring for and protecting his brother and sister. He loves hamburgers and pizza and Olive Garden. He loves to go to movies. He loves playing soccer and board games. He loves the computer and the Wii. He knows how to tell a good story and not skimp on the details. When I ask him a question, he gives me a good full answer instead of a grunt. I love being with him. I feel honored and blessed that the Lord would entrust such an amazing spirit to my care for a short time. Keep your eye on my boy. He is going to leave a big footprint on this world!

4) Matthew Doing Amazing Flips


In an effort to channel Matthew’s amazing energy, we signed him up for gymnastics. And true to form, he picked it up like a natural. He attends classes twice a week and he amazes me with his fearlessness and athleticism. He flips, swings, bounces, jumps, and astounds me with what he can do!

5) An Evening At The Ballet


Because we love fancy around here, we gussied ourselves up again and attended BYU’s ballet production of “Cinderella”. We had a fabulous gaggle of girls to share the evening with and it was so much fun! We started with heaping bowls of pasta and salad at Brick Oven and then ohhed and ahhed our way through the ballet with all the glitter and sparkles and fluffy tutus. My daughter and my cousin’s daughter could not contain the giggles when the prince presented himself. We were sitting in the second row and I truly could not get the two of them to stop laughing. When I asked what was so funny, Sophie said, “The prince forgot to put his pants on” and Hannah announced, “And he is wearing BALLET SLIPPERS!” which then sent them into another round of giggles. I do have to admit that I always have a somewhat uncomfortable reaction when the men appear in their tights. Those tights are just so unforgiving. And I wasn’t ready to give the 5 year olds a male anatomy lesson in the middle of the ballet.


After the ballet, our 2 little girls took off into the lobby to get some “autographs”. They refused to have the performers sign their programs and presented their bare little arms instead. I’m not sure who had the idea but they ran around until every last dancer had been solicited. Unfortunately, the autographs have gone the way of all good body paint…

6) VALENTINE’S DAY


Jacob and Hannah insisted on homemade valentines this year and they turned out so cute! (Thank you Abby and Family Fun website) We woke up on Valentine’s Day and found that our house had been attacked by Cupid…there were balloons everywhere and pink and red hearts covering every surface. I found a message written on my bathroom mirror and covered with hearts. There were flowers and chocolates and my Valentine even made me 2 CD’s of “somewhat romantic” and “very romantic” music! I was so touched! When was the last time I had a romantic “mix” made for me? I kept calling him all day to tell him how much I loved it…and to giggle at the songs he had chosen. He did SO much to make the day special for me and the kids. He brought fancy balloons home for Hannah after work and took me out to dinner at my favorite Thai restaurant. But my favorite part of the day was lying in bed that night eating chocolates. Chris made the day so amazing with all he did. I felt so loved and adored and grateful for a husband who understands how much the small things mean.

7) Dancing and Reading


And in our house there is always much dancing. Random, spontaneous dancing. But my absolute favorites are the mornings I wake up on my own and wonder why the house is so quiet. I tiptoe out in the family room and find my 3 children curled up on the couches and chairs devouring books. My kind of family! Makes my little heart sing!

Count your blessings name them one by one,


Count your blessings see what God has done,

Count your blessings, name them one by one.


In the process of writing this blog, the sun has peeked out. I see some blue sky and it has made all the gray disappear. Being grateful enables me to see the world in a whole different way.


Go count your blessings…

Fun For All!

We love our school. I love that the state of Utah is encouraging options for all of its students. Charter schools are public schools, funded by the government, free of cost to any interested families, that offer an alternative to families and students. I don't believe there is one right way to educate children. Having choices in schools is not about "good and bad", it is about being able to make a choice that is right for your child and family. We have a wonderful neighborhood elementary school...truly wonderful! But when we were preparing to send our oldest child to kindergarten, we realized he had some unique needs that our neighborhood school did not seem able to best equip. And so we looked at options and found one that fit his needs, his style of learning, and fit our family's educational philosophy. Like I said, it isn't about being better, it is all about being best for MY children.

Some of the things I love about our school are:

Core  Knowledge Curriculum

My kindergartener's new favorite hero. Do you know who is? What American iconic item is named after him? My children's charter school is an official Core Knowledge visitation site...a prestigious and unique honor. Not very many schools have earned that recognition. It is an AMAZING curriculum that aligns with the Utah State Core Sequence but enhances a child's opportunity to explore these subjects in greater depth.

• Saxon Math

I've spent most of my life being terrified of math. My kids love math and they are totally "getting" it. Love this program. Just don't ask me what this problem is or how to solve it. (I'm breaking out in a cold sweat just looking at it.)

• Classical Education

I want my children not only to learn about science, history, literature, music, art, etc., but I want them to be able to think about it, express their opinions and feelings clearly, to be able to write, create, compose, and have the confidence to do anything and be anything they want. I want them to have a framework to place the ideas and philosophies they learn. I want them to have respect for the world they live in and the many different people they live with. I feel that classically educating children gives them these tools. Core knowledge teaches them the facts and classical education teaches them how to think about those facts. It is a powerful combination to give a child.

There are so many other reasons I could give.

I love literature circles and the written works my children are exposed to. I love the smaller class sizes and higher teacher and instructor ratio per student. We have a phenomenal staff and faculty. They are truly some of the most talented, dedicated educational professionals I have worked with. My children have loved their teachers and they are the constant that keep us coming back year after year. I love our music and art program. I love the high level of parent involvement and input. I love my children’s friends. We truly feel so blessed to be attending this school.

 Knowledge is power if you teach a child how to use what they learn. Teach them to think, act, and give them a lifelong thirst for knowledge. I don't want school to be a chore and endless string of useless information. I want school to be a place that excites and ignites them. And I want what they learn to give them a hunger for learning that will last a lifetime.

 

Don’t be afraid to demand the best for your child. Look around in your community, explore the options, and decide what is best for your child. There are so, so many wonderful schools in Utah. Our neighborhood schools and charter schools offer so much to a wide variety children. Find out what they are all about and then enjoy having the choice to choose what is best for your family.

 

My Love Affair with Books.

I am a book junkie. I have book buying "sources/contacts" all over the place. I have bought books in warehouses, stores, online, from paper book orders, airports, thrift stores...really, if there is a place that offers me a delicious, enticing book, I'll buy it. At one time I was a card carrying member to 3 different libraries. I know where all the libraries are within a 60 mile range of my house. I personally know my local librarians. I have been known to wander over to the library in the middle of the day (ALL BY MYSELF) and hang out with my favorite librarians for a little while...always in the children's section. I'm sure they have adult books but who needs that kind of baggage in their life? The children's librarians know my children. I love that. Shouldn't every child have a personal relationship with their local children's librarian? I think it should be a mandatory community relationship! (Although I did get rear ended by a gentleman the other day who  got out of his car and admitted that he didn't see me because he was waving to his garbage man that was in the lane next to him! I seriously had no comment to that.) Anyway, I love books.

Maybe I should be more specific...I love children's books. I have read more than my share of adult literature and I've sworn it off. If I try to pick up a fiction book written for adults then I am guaranteed one or more of the following:

1. an affair
2. sex abuse
3. domestic or child abuse
4. mental illness
5. tragic death
6. People whose lives have been seriously messed up by a combination of #1-5.
7. Too much sex and drinking
8. A disease that I have never heard of but will spend the next month wondering if I have.
9. Cancer
10. Mean Parents

You get the point...

I'm not saying you don't get these themes to one degree or another in a children's book, but you don't get it thrown in your face the way you do in adult fiction. And in so much nitty, gritty detail. Adult fiction doesn't usually make me feel happy. It can be a real downer...

I have also discovered there is an unspoken hierarchy in my life for the books I'm reading and how I feel about them. I have a red basket on the floor next to my bed. This basket contains all the books I'm hoarding and waiting to read. It is a basket of anticipation and hope. When my red basket is getting low, I get bummed. When it is filled to overflowing, then I feel happy! I try and never let my basket of anticipation get low. Just for fun, I currently have the following books in my red book basket:
a) The Legend of Bass Reeves (by Gary Paulsen)
b) I, Coriander (by Sally Gardner)
c) Matched (by Ally Condie)
d) Get a Clue: Operation Golden Scepter (by Julian Press)
e) Hands-On Physical Science Projects (my daughter is obsessed with science projects right now)
f) Freeing Your Child From Anxiety (by Tamar E. Chansky)

Once a book is chosen from the basket, it rests on my blue desk next to my bed. If the book is wonderful, there it will stay until it's completion. (Right now it is a delightful book called "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia...Newbery Honoree book.) Unfortunately, if the book is not holding my interest, it gets moved to the car. On the front seat of my car sit the books that didn't reach out and grab me but I'm not ready to give up on yet. I read these in my down waiting periods...red lights, picking kids up from school/scouts/band/gymnastics/science club, sitting in the Chick-Fil-A drive thru, etc.

And in the bathroom lies the low of the low...the potty basket. These are books that only get read if someone has to go to the bathroom really bad and is desperate for reading material. I don't want to be mean to the book so this is its last stop before the "thrift" store. One more chance for someone else to wander in and "discover" the book. Right now I have a book called "The 100 Thing Challenge"...but today it will make its way out my door. I've had enough of it.

The thrift box is purgatory...book hell. Not many books make it to this outer darkness but occasionally...just occasionally...

And now I must go address the other issues in my life. What a random post.

BOOK OF MORMON CHALLENGE: Parenting #1

PURPOSE: What can I learn about being a better parent to my children? What divine guidance does this book provide about parenting?



February 1-6, 2011


This has been such an interesting adventure so far.


Reading with such a specific purpose in mind opens up perspectives and brings ideas to mind that I have never considered before. And given the number of times I’ve “started” reading the Book of Mormon, I thought I had these first few pages pretty covered!


I was born of goodly parents. I have inherited a legacy of faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ that is inspiring and humbling. My ancestors each have a story. And while these stories share a common thread of faithfulness, sacrifice, and testimony, each story differs in how these individuals gained their testimonies, what refiner’s fire they faced to polish and refine their faith, and how the circumstances of their lives shaped and molded their characters. Each story is an inspiration to me. I see so much of myself in some of my family…both my strengths and weaknesses. And I see so much that I wish I possessed. Reading the first few verses of Nephi brought to my remembrance how precious our lives are and how our legacy of faithful living can bless generations to come.


My parents had/have testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because they had gained this precious knowledge, there was no doubt in their minds that they would raise children and guide their family using the principles and ordinances of the gospel. I was born and I was taught in all the learning of my parents. I have watched my parents live and be guided by these principles during all the phases of our family’s life together. My parents bore testimony to us children, they prayed for us, held Family Home Evenings, held family prayers, attended the temple, and placed the gospel and their children first and foremost in their lives. And I watched. I can’t say that “listening” carefully to what my parents always said was my forte but I’m hard pressed to find a child…especially a teenager…that is a talented listener. Children are observers. They will do what you do and say what you say and reflect back to you how they are treated and how they feel about themselves.


Nephi watched his parents very carefully.


He listened to what they taught and he observed with both physical and spiritual “eyes” what they did.


His parents took the time to share special experiences with him and bear testimony of what these things meant to them. (1 Nephi 1:5-15)


He watched his parents pray and knew without a doubt the depth and sincerity of their testimonies and feelings for the Savior. (1 Nephi 1: 15)


Nephi understood what the Spirit was and how it worked.


He saw his parents be completely obedient without questioning why or how. His family abandoned every worldly possession they owned to be faithful to the Lord. And despite the trials and afflictions, he observed his parents showing gratitude to the Lord for His blessings and tender mercies. (1 Nephi 2:3-4, 7).


I feel blessed to share so much in common with Nephi. Allow me to share an experience we had in my family that is so similar in some ways to what Nephi describes in these first few verses of the Book of Mormon and that I believe has had a significant impact on my life.


When I was 5 years old, my father was called to be a mission president of the Goteborg, Sweden mission. He was 29 years old at the time he received this call…my mother was 25 years old. They had 3 children, ages 5, 3, and 1, and my mother was expecting their fourth child at about the time they were expected to report for the mission president’s training seminar. (My mom feels pretty confident that she was the only mission president’s wife nursing a newborn at the training seminar!) My father was still establishing his career and they had just purchased their first home. When the call came, they accepted. Now as a wife and mother, I can only begin to understand what some of my concerns and questions would be. But those concerns and questions did not prevent them from preparing for this call that the Lord had extended. My mother had my sister on June 13th and our family departed for Sweden in July.


My father had served his mission in Sweden and could therefore speak the language. My mother had never left the United States. As we arrived, my dad had many new responsibilities to attend to and missionaries to be acquainted with. My mother had 4 small children that needed to be taken care of and a household to establish in a foreign country without the knowledge or benefit of being familiar with the language and culture. But step by step, the Lord provided all our family needed…both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I know there were tears, discouragement, frustration, and moments of hopelessness. But from those moments were born some of the fondest, sweetest memories and friendships our family has ever known. Those 3 years in Sweden are the backbone of my childhood. They are my first memories. They are some of my most cherished memories. That legacy of faithfulness and trust in the Lord formed the foundation of my own testimony and determination to lead a life serving the Savior. My parents had a 5th child while living in Sweden. My mother learned the language and served in the church…including as a counselor in the Primary presidency. I grew up surrounded by full-time missionaries and was blessed by their faith and testimonies. Can you imagine a more perfect childhood? It was a wonder! And last spring I had the chance to visit my parents in Sweden with my own husband and children and to share all this wonder with them. We went back to Goteborg where my parents spoke at a Stake Conference and I had the chance to be reacquainted with some many wonderful friends who blessed our lives during that time. I saw my “childhood” home and we frolicked in the woods where I played. I took my children to see the school I went to and the naked statue in the middle of town and ate Swedish hot dogs and candy that tasted just the way I remembered them. And I felt deep gratitude for all of it. That my parents were in tune with the Spirit, that they possessed a united determination to be faithful in all things, that they were willing to drop everything and leave when a call from the Lord took them to the “wilderness”. For their faith and optimism. I have been blessed by their obedience and faith. And I sincerely hope in my life that I will follow their example and always respond as Nephi did…”I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)


And so I have my work cut out for me. My children need a mother who lives what she preaches. They need to see and feel me living what I believe. There will come a time in each of their lives when they will be required to stand on their own faith and testimony. Every person has to come to that crossroads and decide where they will stand. But until that day, I want them to have a firm foundation to stand on, a place in their lives where they are safe and loved and feel every day the workings of the Spirit in their lives. I want them to see and understand sacrifice and trials and afflictions and to know they are evidence of the Lord’s deep love for us. I want them to know what the Spirit feels like and the power of this gift in our lives. I want them to know how to find answers on their own and to have the courage to follow where the Lord leads them.


The entire book of 1 Nephi is testimony of a young man who learned precious gospel truths from his parents, gained a firm testimony of Jesus Christ for himself, and was able to accomplish great miracles because of this learning and testimony. What will your children be asked to do by the Lord? Will they be ready? What are we doing every day to prepare our children? Do we contemplate and ponder how what we do, how we react, and what we share with our children is preparing and blessing them for what lies ahead? All Nephi was able to do he was prepared for ahead of time…by loving parents and a loving Heavenly Father. When the time came, he was ready.


Definitely changes how I see my little people and the big people they are becoming.