A House of Learning

More than the time I spend purposefully stuffing the kids' heads with knowledge, I love happening upon little evidences of them growing on their own. Like finding the book of Emily Dickenson's complete works in Emily's back pack (she has been loving poetry lately) or the Complete Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales left by the couch where someone had hastily stuck in a book mark before running off to another adventure. Finding elaborate pictures of the solar system or half of a short story. 

That is what I want for my kids. I want to give them the tools and the time to discover anything and everything they want to. 

Mary took this picture of the Alligator Turtle yesterday at the science center. 

Joe and Emily were under the weather today so they stayed home. They worked on Khan Academy and we read the Jungle Book together. Then the younger kids went outside to construct some sort of machine. I so can't wait until public school is no longer a part of our lives. I can't wait until our house of learning is operating full time. 

Less Steam, More Light

A long time ago, I heard a quote by Elder Neil A. Maxwell. To paraphrase, it said, letting off steam always produces more heat than light. 

I have noticed something about myself. I have become very curmudgeonly as of late. I find fault with the schools and other drivers and other random people. Criticism is a horrible disease that will take over if not torn out by the roots. As I have been looking at myself, I have wondered how I got this way. 

About a month ago I started what I called the "30 Day Soft Heart Challenge". Any time I would have a thought that hardened my heart I would stop it before it had the chance. I even got the kids involved. I made them stuffed hearts to help them remember. We also talked about things they could do, like, pray that would help them to have a softer heart. 

The first week went surprisingly well...then life intruded. I got busy. I got tired. I forgot. But, I think it's time to reintroduce this to my life. If you want to join me, I think the world could use softer hearts. And hopefully this time it will work. 

So Rad, So Cool

Last Saturday, the whole family participated in Color Me Rad, a 5k race to support the Special Olympics.  Cold was our adversary. Colds knocked out our last two weeks of preparation, and cold temperatures made the before and after miserable!  But the kids were troopers, and once we got started everyone had fun. (Will is missing from that last picture because he wasn't interested. And he was quite proud of keeping his shirt completely color free.) We can't wait for our next race!  Speedy Spaniard, here we come!

House Full of Monkeys

We are reading The Jungle Book together. This paragraph sounded all too familiar. 

"Mowgli was going to show them how to weave sticks and canes together as a protection against rain and cold. Mowgli picked up some creepers and began to work them in and out, and the monkeys tried to imitate; but in a very few minutes they lost interest and began to pull their friends' tails or jump up and down on all fours, coughing."

I laughed. It sounded like family home evening and home school at our house. 

A Hunting We Will Go

 

 

The Dogwoods Are Blooming!

I don't know why the pictures I post from my phone to the blog are always so fuzzy. Sigh. You'll just have to use your imaginations. 

I love dogwoods!  They are such unassuming little trees. They're not bold magnolias that take up the landscape. They're the hidden surprise that decorates the forests and yards. There's such a balancing quality to them. They just fit wherever they are and look delegately beautiful doing so. Naming them dogwoods is one of the greatest botanical injustices in history. An elegant flowered tree deserves an elegant name. This seems to be begging for an analogy but I'm not going to indulge. For now I will enjoy my favorite tree for its beauty alone. 

Happily Cataloguing

Today I'm feeling blessed. I have six little people inhabiting my house, each with such uniqueness it's impossible to think they are somehow derivative of Matt and me.  

Mary and I were peeking at each other over the breakfast cereal.  The beauty of the moment was in her reaction.  When she feels delight but sees someone watching her she shuts like a morning glory on time lapse footage. But she didn't. 

Ben was swinging his legs and looking around boldly like he owned the place and we had all pledged fealty to his highness. 

Will is just so Will. A couple weeks ago he said. "I'm not eating my pancakes!  They taste gross like poop sauce."  I know that was so inappropriate but I had to laugh - after he left the room of course.  Where did he even come up with that?  

Emily is just so full to the brim with emotions and life that I sometimes marvel that she doesn't spontaneously combust.

 Joe is a marvel himself. 

My sweet Kate is battling a cold. I thought she was on the mend but she was apparently on the wrong side of the incline still. As I write this she is sleeping fitfully in my arms. I wonder if one of the tricks to motherhood is learning to juggle like this. Seeing the delight and enjoying fully the goodness and joy some of your children while also caring for and feeling worry and compassion for others. Usually that split turns me into a crazy person like some schizophrenic Greek god but today I feel calm and good and blessed. 

April Conference 2014

Silver and Gold

 

 

 

In elelmentary school, I learned a little song.  "Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other is gold."

 

This week we had a visit from some golden friends - with a sweet silver one in tow.  This dear friend was really a saving grace for me during our first year and a half living 2400 miles away from everything we knew.  We were fast friends and our kids loved each other - which always helps!  Things were tough financially, emotionally, and socially.  She made things feel a little less bleak.  I will love her forever for that!  And then they moved.  We have only seen them a handful of times since they left, but when they showed up on our door last Saturday, it felt like they had been gone for a few weeks, not a few years. 

 

It didn't feel like there were ten kids stuffed into our house for four days.  Three little pairs of besties played to the hearts' content.  Mary and her friend announced that they are twins.  There's nearly a foot in height difference, but that's a small thing when you're talking about bosom buddies.  It was most interesting to see that since they were only two when our families last lived within driving distance.  Emily and her friend and Joe and his (ahem) friend got along so well I was actually surprised.  Usually after the novelty wears off you kind of see how well a match friends are aside from proximity.  But they really truly liked each other and got along.  And our little friend who is two (and so stinkin cute!) is a new addition since the last time we saw each other.  Kate and Ben met our friends for the first time as well.

 

Well, goodbye gold and silver friends.  We miss you already!

 

Tips, Trips, and Traps

Look at the handsome young man!

 

Last month, Joe had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. with his school.  I am not a fan of school sponsored, over-night field trips in elementary school.  I'm downright opposed to them actually.  But, Matt was selected as a chaperone, and we just felt for some reason that this would be a good experience for Joe.  And, it was.  He had so much fun and it was a great chance for some father-son bonding.

 

 

Joe's look says it all.  "I can't believe I'm standing in front of part of the Hubble telescope!!!"

Anyone who knows anything about Joe knows that space is his obsession.  He said once that he has a bunch of little rooms in his brain that has all the things that he thinks about and it's really hard to keep the space door closed.

 

 

 
 
I think it's time to go pants shopping.  Either that or he accidentally grabbed Em's pants.  Oops. Next time I'll have to remind him to check the tags and take a little more time packing.  He didn't even notice and we didn't tell him.  One day.

 

Back on the home front.  We had a fun little St. Patrick's Day celebration and had a visit from some adorable leprechauns.  We lured them in with delicious goodies and they fell right into our trap.

 

 

Who needs baby toys?

I found this photo on my phone the other day.  Mary was taking pictures while I was chatting with a friend.  Fun little surprise!