Halloween

My camera is broken. So. I have no pictures of Halloween this year. We had a lot of fun at the ward Chili Cook Off/Fall Festival, and then we went to a trunk or treat Saturday night. Emily was Little Bo Peep/Heidi/Dorothy. Her costume was thrown together at the last second, and for the trunk or treat, she wore her read Dorothy shoes. So, take your pick. Will was a sheep that looked more like a cloud since I didn't have time to make the hat. He made a very cute, fat cloud. Mary was a ballerina on Friday night, and Cinderella on Saturday night (Yes, I love our dress up bin!). Joe devised his costume all by himself. He wanted to be the solar system. He wore dark sweats, and pinned a cut out of a sun on his chest. Then he got a wire wreath, formed a pouch underneath out of bubble wrap to simultaneously act as the meteor ring and the candy container, and then stuck styrofoam balls painted like the planets around the ring. I so wish we had a picture. He looked so cute. If anyone reading this happened to get a picture, I would LOVE to get a copy! Until then, we can just use our imaginations!

Welcome back to the toddler years, Mrs. Hicken

Sigh. Will is now sufficiently mobile enough to do what he wants (as long as he can do it before Mom catches up). Some of Will's favorite things of late? Unloading the garbage, climbing on the table, trying to climb on everything else, washing things off in the toilet, emptying the cupboards of plastic containers and pots, throwing anything and everything down the stairs, and unloading boxes of anything with a bunch of little pieces. The latter has been the big event the last two days. Last night, he and his super helpful three-year-old sister dumped out the plastic container that held ALL of the card games that I had neatly sorted, and kicked them around the living room (while I was in the middle of making dinner). Today, he miraculous got the 3 boxes containing 1000 piece puzzles and the various other children's puzzles down from the top shelf of our hall closet (again, thank you sweet little 3 year-old!) and threw them all over said three-year-old's room which was, of course strewn with clothes (it is apparently offensive to her sensibilities to have her clothes inside her drawers for more than five minutes after we put them all away).

Okay. These aren't the worst things in the world. On top of all the little messes of popcorn and mac and cheese and the melted chocolate in the ramekin that he got a hold of and, and, and, it is busy, but not the worst. I just forgot how busy little boys are! My girls were pretty busy and crazy as well at that age, but there's just something different about little boys - in my experience anyway. Alright, silly whining over. Off to see the latest surprise left for me...Oh, Will! Really!

Whew

The primary program was today. The kids were so sweet. Em and Joe did really well with their parts. They are such wonderful children. I am just in awe of them. Yes, Em was imitating a popcorn popper the entire time, and the bishop had to pull her down from the stool by the pulpit, but she sang every song and gave her part so well. Joe is simply amazing. It's interesting as my kids are getting older starting to see who they are and that it really is independent of what I do. I can help them, but I can not make them. And I wouldn't want to. They are so much more interesting and unique then I could ever engineer.

The whole primary did well. It's always interesting how I get consumed with what needs to happen and who isn't showing up and little things that don't go smoothly during the program, but that the kids' spirit shines through and touches the audience. I really have enjoyed being in primary again (I took a two year break right after we moved from Pemberley). It is a true privilege to teach these children the gospel. They are ready for so much more than I was at their age. They understand things much more deeply than I would expect. The questions I get during sharing time are profound. I pray that I am up to the challenge, in primary and especially at home.

Year's Supply Quick Tip

When you finish using your liquid dish soap, fill it with water and put it in your water storage. The left over soap should be enough for a load of dishes in an emergency.

Changing Education Paradigms

My friend just posted this video on her blog. I'm sure you've figured by now that education is an important topic to me. We, as parents, need to take back control of our children's education and do what it takes to help our children become their best selves. Part of that is educating ourselves. Sir Ken Robinson has some great ideas on the topic of education that have really resonated with me. I may have posted this video before, but here is a link to another speech by Ken Robinson that he gave at the TedTalks in 2006.

Joe's School

I know that there have been a good number of posts regarding Joe's new school, so, sorry to bore everyone with another one, but we really are excited and feel rather blessed that Joe got in. Not just for himself but for Emily and Mary too.

Today we got to meet with his teacher. It was my first time meeting her (This is Matt by the way). She was great. It was great to hear that his teacher has spent enough time and cared enough to figure out the way Joe works. Especially how he sometimes just needs to be left along to process things and then he'll be fine and can move on. He is doing great and the school is perfect for him by allowing him to progress as fast as he can. In fact he gets to do a research report on Antarctica which is right up his alley since he loves reading about different places and random facts.

Really what I wanted to share though was they had a writing assignment to make up their own country where they would be the king. They had to make a flag, a motto, draw a map, etc. His kingdom was called the "Kingdom of Josephiledelpia". The motto (or maybe it was just an interesting fact) "We believe that superman is real and awesome."

Kindness

On Friday, I had a bunch of errands to run. We discovered that our plates were expired...the red and blue flashing lights kind of discovery (and of course the missionaries were in the car at the time - sheesh!). I had been waiting to get our renewal thing in the mail and had just not thought about it. So, off to the DMV I went to get a temporary permit then to the inspection place and back to the DMV. At the DMV they told me I had a tax hold. That's why they didn't send us our renewal form. I had apparently (in my baby fog last year) underpaid our taxes by $2.63. That's right. Dumb on my part, and dumb all around. So, on top of all the other stops, I had to go to the tax office to pay my pitiful taxes. I had the three younger ones with me, so getting out of the car was an ordeal. I found a parking spot right out front at the first meter! Yay! I got all the kids re-shoed, re-clothed (honestly! five minutes in the car! Can they not keep their shoes on their feet for five minutes?) and finally out of the car. We got a few steps away from the car when I remembered the meter. I walked over to pay it and realized I had no change in my purse. I always have change in my purse! I sighed and told the girls to get back into the car.

"Excuse me."

I turned around and a kind looking older man was standing there with his hand full of change.

"Can I help?"

Silly me, I said, "No, that's alright."

He said, "No, please. You've got three kids in tow."

I gratefully took fifty cents and thanked him.

"Just help me if you ever see me in trouble."

"Deal," I said.

I was so grateful for such a tiny thing. Fifty cents isn't much, but for me right then on such a busy day, it was huge. I'm so grateful to him and others who show kindness in simple ways that make a big difference.

3rd Annual Family Olympics

This year we added a 0.6 mile race. Matt pushed the two youngest in the stroller and the rest of us ran. It was a lot of fun. Em finished really well, I was proud of her for running so far. Joe tied with Matt, of course. Yay Joe!

Matt made everyone stretch after the outdoor events. So cute!

Joe's superman dive.

This girl is fearless!

Learning Moments

Tonight, as is our custom, I was "chatting" with Emily at bedtime. I asked her to tell me about something that made her sad today. She said, "Not getting candy." At lunch, we told her she wasn't getting any candy until she finished her chicken salad sandwich. I am not a big proponent of letting kids choose what they are going to eat and etc. If it's healthy, if they're not allergic, if it's a reasonable portion and they're not sick, they are expected to eat it. If they really don't want it that's fine, but they're certainly not going to get snacks later. And so ensued the epic battle of the chicken salad. Yes, it was a bit ambitious to serve it to young children in the first place, but well, we all have our moments of insanity. Eventually she finished and got her candy.

So, this evening I pulled out the old trusty "Some people don't have food" line from parenting 101. She responded in complete wonder, "Some people don't have food?" I said yes and she asked why. I explained a little about a couple of reasons. She was quiet for a moment and then said. "Alright. Let's get a big piece of bread (miming with her hands more than shoulder distance apart) like a big big piece, then a bunch of bananas and grapes and we'll go give it to them." I was so touched by her answer. Her complete innocence warmed my heart. I compromised and said that we would get some canned food and take it to a food bank (which I explained gives food to people who don't have any). She nodded emphatically, satisfied.

Her response made me think. Why don't we act more? Is it so ridiculous to think that you can end hunger? Maybe it just takes us thinking we will make a difference. Emily wasn't thinking of the millions of people worldwide who are starving. She was thinking of the small group, the family maybe. She wanted to help that one family. I have been thinking today about seeing needs around me and taking the initiative to fill those needs. I wanted to instill that quality in my children. Tonight, I realized they already have the desire, they just need to be allowed to act on those impulses of selflessness and charity. It was one of those odd times of parenthood when you realize your children really are here to raise you.