Growing Up

Rebecca gave her first talk in church today.  She looked beautiful ... she wore a white dress Barb gave her and Emily (Emily wore it to 5th grade Recognition earlier this week) and wore her hair down (something she rarely does).  She researched and wrote the talk all on her own with a few guiding comments here and there from us last night.  She did an amazing job - we were all a little nervous for her because we knew she was a bit nervous.  But she did an amazing job - you never would have known she was nervous.  She was poised, calm, and spoke clearly, and GR and I were so impressed and proud of her! 

She wrote the talk in her journal but I wanted to preserve it here so we have another record of it.  

I was asked to speak on the topic "How the Holy Ghost can help me."   The Holy Ghost has been called many names: The Comforter, Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord and Spirit.  All of these names mean the same thing:  The third member of the Godhead, the one without flesh and blood, a still small voice.  The Holy Ghost is kinda like God's messenger.  God sends warnings and promptings through the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost delivers the message/prompting to us using a still small voice. 

The main job of the Holy Ghost is sending us the warnings and promptings of God. The Holy Ghost uses a still small voice when speaking to us, but when we ignore him, he will get progressively louder and louder, simply go away or both.  

After we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or as the scriptures say, "Baptism of fire."  This is when you officially receive the Holy Ghost, prior to this, the Holy Ghost would give a prompting every so often, but it would be infrequent.  Once we are confirmed however, the Holy Ghost is here to stay as long as we keep the commandments and obey the Lord's wishes, and remember what Helaman 4:24 says, "... the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples."  This is pretty straight forward;  the better you keep the commandments the easier it is to hear the Spirit, but if we offend the Spirit by sinning, then he will withdraw. 

I sometimes think of the Holy Ghost as a well oiled machine.  He works on faith and obedience.  When we are obedient and faithful the Holy Ghost still speaks with a still small voice,, but we are better able to hear it and recognize that it is from God. 

I am still learning how to recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life.  He has helped my family find lost things like keys, wallets and all the temple dedication tickets.  He has helped me feel calm, at peace, or have courage in a hard situation.

Once in Social Studies we were talking about the election and Mitt Romney. Because he (Mitt) is Mormon my teacher started to say things that were incorrect about the Church.  At first I wasn't sure if I should speak up and correct the teacher, but after I started thinking about it, the Holy Ghost filled me with enough courage to raise my hand and correct my teacher and the more I started talking the less scared I was and I corrected every wrong thing my teacher had said and even answered some of my classmates questions.  

The Holy Ghost also testified at the cultural celebration that I was seeing the Prophet of God.  And when I went to the temple after it was dedicated, He testified that I was in the House of the Lord.  

I bear you my testimony that if we keep the commandments and do what is right we will always have the Holy Ghost with us.

Amen. 

Twelve years has gone by so quickly, and I am constantly amazed at how blessed we are to be the parents to these astounding kids! 

Outstanding Achievement

Earlier this month representatives from the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution came to the elementary school and distributed certificates of participation to the fifth grade students who submitted essays to their American History Essay Contest earlier this year.  We were thrilled to learn that Emily, took 2nd place!  It's a great essay ... each of the winners essays were written in letter format.  Emily wrote it all on her own and it wasn't until the librarian (pictured right) read her essay to the group (all the girls were too shy to read them aloud themselves), that we heard it for the first time.  So thrilling.  

Emily really loves history and reading historical fiction.  She had really wanted to base her essay on a woman from the American Revolution, but she got really discouraged when she couldn't find one.  Despite that little set back early on in her research, she had a great time researching the time period and history and writing her essay (which I've included at the bottom).  

The three winners, along with their parents, were invited to attend the chapters end of the year luncheon this morning to have lunch and read their essays to the group.  Diane and I attended with Emily and were so proud of her willingness to read her essay to a couple dozen women after sitting through a long chapter meeting.  She was nervous, but did such a great job and read with great pose and maturity.  

We sat with a delightful woman who has lived in the area for many years, but is a relatively new member of the DAR and was instated in the chapters 2012-2013 leadership at the end of the meeting.  She made the entire morning so enjoyable thanks to her warm and friendly personality.  She also did a fabulous job of telling us about the DAR and what they do locally and nationally.  It was fascinating to sit in on one of their meeting.  They do a lot of good work, but the rituals, and rules seem a little over the top to an outsider.  If Emily ever wanted to she could join the DAR she could via Diane's line ... Nathaniel Babcock.   Diane was a junior member as a girl and left upon principle - given their antics during the civil rights era, it's quite impressive an 11 year-old saw through the politics and racism and choose to walk away.     

Emily with the outgoing Chapter Regent, Ms. Johnson & the incoming Chapter Regent, Ms. Meyers. 

Emily's Essay: 

October 14th, 1816

Dear Family,

Sorry I have not written in so long. I would have gladly written a long while before, but I had no time. So much has been going on in New Orleans. Ever since I moved here three years ago, news of the war that so recently ended has just begun to stop as well. Now I have some good news, and I do not wish to say any more bad, but I may bring some up as I talk about the man I met a few weeks ago. He is magnificent, tall and proud, with a few scars on his head and his left hand. When he saw me, I was very shy indeed. He said that his name was Andrew Jackson, and that his nickname was Old Hickory, because once one of his soldiers said he was as tough as hickory.

He was born on March 15, 1767, a few weeks after his father died. He had no more family except for his wife. Then I finally got the courage to ask about his scars. He said when he was 14; he and his brother, Robert, were captured during the fighting of the Revolutionary War. The British commander wanted his boots cleaned, and he instructed that Andrew should do so. “I said then I refused, having rights of a prisoner of war,” Andrew said. I then gasped, and said “You refused a British commander! But what does that have to do with your scars?” “I haven’t finished yet. The commander lashed out his sword, for his anger had gotten a hold on him. It cut to the bone, and the officer also lashed my head. That is how I got my scars.” Afterward, he and his brother both caught a case of smallpox, and Robert died. A short time later, his mother died from helping sick and wounded soldiers. I can’t believe he went through so many deaths. I feel so bad for him. I wish so much to be able to help him.

When he fought in the war, Andrew once fought against a band of Creek Indians with 2,000 soldiers on his side. He said earlier, he was told to reinforce troops in New Orleans, and when he got to Natchez, Mississippi, he was told to demobilize his forces on the spot. Andrew said he was so furious and frustrated, for he had been sent no pay, food, transportation, or medicine for his reinforcements. So he led his troops through 500 miles of wilderness back to their homes. That was also where he got his nickname, Old Hickory. During the Battle of New Orleans, he killed thousands of British soldiers with the Kentucky Army and the Tennessee Militiamen. Then I realized why he was being honored so. They were all being perfect, some even bowing. I hope you have enjoyed this letter. I wish I could have written more, but I have guests coming over shortly, and I have much cooking to do.

Your loving daughter,

Anna

Last Day of School

Emily, Sam and Alex after their last day of school.  They each had a very successful academic year

Alex's class had a fiesta on the last day of school ... so much fun, and so amazed at the great school year he had! 

Alex with his classmates from his table this school year.

Alex and Mrs. C - We're 4 for 4, and love her!

Alex with classmates K and A.

Emily, as an outgoing 5th grader got spent the day playing with friends at PTA sponsored activities.  They bowled, ate pizza for lunch and played basketball and in the rec room at a local community center.  We got word last night that Emily scored high enough on her state assessment test to be in the advanced 7th grade math class next year.  She is so excited and so are we!   

Barb and Stu stayed with us this last night.  They are on their way to San Francisco for Stu's 4 year residency.   So exciting and yet a little sad to see go so far from home.  Closing one chapter and begin to open a new chapter so many miles away.  

Stuart is a huge board game fan and the kids really enjoy playing any and every game they can with him.  Tonight it was Monopoly.  It was a great game, and in true Stuart fashion he completely wiped everyone out!  At one point in the game, fairly early on, I hear Stuart explain to Sam ...

"If you want a game of revenge, play SORRY. This is a game of business."  

My Miracle Day

2am go to bed after preparing, cleaning, straightening, etc.  for a lunch picnic/gathering with Anna's music class.
6:15am - alarm goes off and I simply cannot get my eyes to open enough to wake up.
6:45am - drag myself out of bed. And help Emily put together her Louisa May Alcott costume, complete with hair for the 5th grade Wax Museum.
7:52am - drop elementary school kids off _ late
7:58am - drop Becca off at middle school
8:08am - back at elementary school to observe wax museum
8:50am - pass off Anna to Grandma for Music Class
9:05am - stop at grocery store for a bag of ice for a party I'm hosting for Annas music class in 90 minutes, and a few basic groceries.
9:30am - after putting away groceries and a few other things, realize I forgot the bag of ice I'd paid for and I start to weigh whether or not I really need the ice - there is so much I need to still get done for the picnic.
9:46am - phone call from school nurse that Sam got hurt on the playground and while it isn't serious he is in a lot of pain and the nurser feels it might be best for me to come and get him.
10:00am - get Sam from school, tie up loose ends there, and pick up bag of ice on way home.
10:34am - arrive back home at the same time the party/picnic guests begin to arrive.  I spent 30 minutes getting last minute things taken care of and then join the party.  Great group of women and kids.  Really glad Diane suggested it and that I went ahead and said yes.
12:35pm - the last guests leave and I start a batch of cookies ... need to deliver 6 dozen to the school at 3pm.
2:35pm - the last dozen come out of the oven (the batch made 7 dozen - best recipe ever when needing cookies for the masses.)
2:45pm - cookies are packed, container labeled and we are in the car, on our way.
3:15pm - home from getting kids and delivering cookies, sit down for a minute with a magazine, never mind that it's 2 years old, it's a magazine and I can't remember the last time I did that.
4:00pm - pick up Becca from piano
4:13pm - pull on to our street just in front of my Sister and her husband who are stopping in on their way to CA to start his residency program.  


Rarely does my day fall into sync, everything matching up perfectly, like it did today, and honestly like it has been for a bit.  A sweet and quite reminder that God is watching over me and aware of my needs and desires.  Don't get me wrong, the stress and intensity of the schedule is immense, add to it that GR working at the office this week, and I am super grateful that things are falling into place easily and quickly, especially when we are double, triple and sometimes even quadruple booked in a single evening and everything must work like clockwork.

Louisa May Alcott

This morning was Emily's 5th Grade Wax Museum.  2 months ago the kids were all assigned a historical person to research, write a paper on, then condense the paper down to a 90 second/150 word speech.  Emily was very excited to be assigned Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women. 

At Emily's last parent teacher conference her teacher and I were discussing the need to find more challenging books for Emily to read that were also age appropriate.  We both felt Little Women was a good fit for Emily - she loves historical fiction, it's age appropriate, and it's LONG!  Something my fast reader needs.  So I picked it up at the library along with a stack of other books that I thought she'd enjoy and Emily and Rebecca both read it and loved it!  Love it when we have a book success!  Emily is now on to the Harry Potter series -- we finally have a child interested in reading Harry Potter!  Ha!

Back to the wax museum ... If you'll remember when Becca did this last year, part of the assignment was also to dress up at the historical person you were assigned.  This is one of my favorite parts of the assignment, because they are encouraged not to purchase items for the costume, but to use what they have around them and I love seeing what kids put together.  I saw one of Emily's friends in football pants and his mothers suit blazer; another wore an old prom dress from an older sibling, another used a short blue bathrobe to resemble a military jacket, another used a winter hat for a fight hat.  

The students are spread throughout the hallways of the school for one hour.  Students from younger grades, parents, and visitors move from student to student, and press a faux button (on the card taped to the wall to Emily's right in the picture below).  Upon pressing the button the 5th grader in front of you "comes to life" and recites their 150 word speech about themselves.  Emily recited hers over 30 times!  It's a really fun and impressive project that the students and family's really enjoy each year.   

For Emily's costume, we used on of my shirts and Becca's skirt I had made for the cultural celebration earlier in the month, then we tied up her hair and she started to resemble some of the pictures we'd seen of Louisa May Alcott.  

I would really love to know how women did their hair back in Louisa's day.
This poor attempt took 16 Bobbie pins.  

Flying head-on into a Tornado

This was Suzanne's facebook status Friday morning "I'm flying head-on into a family tornado. Giddy-up!"  And it was so true.  Almost all of us were all in town for a very short weekend packed with lots of family fun! 

Joe and Katy had a beautiful baby girl earlier this month and we couldn't wait to meet her and smoother her with cuddles.  Isn't she beautiful! 

My brother-in-law graduated from SLU's Med School Friday. He and Barb are packing up their apartment this weekend and moving to CA for his residency.  We're super excited for them, and super excited for Suz cause they'll practically be neighbors, but it's hard to imagine them all living so far away!

We helped my father clean out the garage.  A very small part of that process was Suz and I building a wood pile.  The wood had formerly been stored in the garage and needed to get moved out of the garage.  We teased Daddy that we were trying to make up for the fact that he only had two sons and four daughters.  

The garage clean out was so we could move furniture my parents drove out from my grandparents home this week.  Last weekend they and my dad's siblings and their spouses spent the weekend cleaning out my grandparents home, dividing up the contents among the descendants and load them up into two trucks ... one truck doing the western US, one truck doing the eastern US.  Mom and Dad made a quick stop at our house to unload a few things and catch a night's sleep before heading to St. Louis Thursday.  And Saturday after cleaning and organizing, we moved the furniture staying in St. Louis onto pallets in their garage until Mom decides where to put them inside.  

Joe and Suz also got Mom's impatient bed planted ... one of "our" traditional Mother's Day gifts to her that my brother is so good at making sure happens each year.  

It's been a while since we've done a super quick visit to the parents like this ... Some of the kids and I arrived Friday night, GR brought our two soccer players who had tournaments, Saturday evening (driving my parents car that they'd left at our place), and then we all headed back to KS Sunday afternoon for our last week of school! ... but it was so worth it to see everyone, visit and help my parents get a good chunk of the work they wanted to get done, done this weekend.    

Mom's Day @ Preschool

I got to spend an hour with Anna at preschool today for Mom's Day and their Art Show.  It was so much fun.  Anna showed me the dress up corner. We planted a sunflower which I hope will eventually transplant well in the garden.  And then we went and looked at the kids art work in the gallery.  They studied three artists, Matisse, Monet, and VanGogh, making three projects in similar styles or using principles of art that correlate to the artist in their preschool art project.  This is one of my favorite art units at preschool!  I am totally in love with her VanGogh sunflowers.  It's gonna get framed and hung in the house somewhere.

We started off playing dress up - I adore this picture of her all done up - complete with the "I'm ready for the pavarazzi" shades.  Our together project was to plant a sunflower seed in a cup.  Mrs. K said last fall a mom brought in the head of the sunflower she and her child had planted at Mom's Day.  She said it was huge!  I will count myself lucky if this little seed spouts and survives a month. 

Then we had to hurry off to the gym (art gallery) to see all the children's artwork.

Playdate

Alex didn't have school today (Kindergarten Roundup for the incoming Kindergarten students) and Anna had her standing day with Grandma.  So it was just me and Alex.  He wanted to have a friend spend the day with us.  Alex spends an hour after school on Thursday's with this friend while Sam and Emily and his sister are at Math and Chess Club.  It's been so nice to have this option for Alex after school, and I was glad we had a chance to do a little something in return.  

I took the boys a children's museum and they had a great time!  They want to go back and I'm convinced they would spend all day there and not get bored.  Here are pictures from our visit of some of the things they did: 

They have an awesome construction zone with real tools.  The boys spent so much time sawing, drilling and hammering to make their car and truck and were so proud of their creations.   

Sidenote: I don't remember much of what the Magic House was like years ago when I first went as a kid -- when it was just a magic house ... no grand new expansion with a three story bean pole, no bump out the back with the store/tree house/fishing pond, etc. This Children's Museum has only been open a year and is small; one very large open room with a dozen or so stations.  I'm really looking forward to watching it grow, expand and develop over the next 30 years as we have the Magic House, and maybe even take my grandchildren there for a day...

Overheard in the kitchen

Anna: Why?

GR: Because I’m the Dad.

Anna: Why are you the Dad?

GR: Because God made me the dad.

Anna: But Why?

GR: You’ll have to ask Him.

Anna: But God’s in Heaven.

…

Anna: God’s in my heart!

Alex: So ask God in your heart.

Anna: I can’t see my heart.

Overheard via the phone:

GR:: Alexander, ladies first, step back and let Anna in the car.
Alex:: What?! That isn’t fair.
GR:: Yes it is.
Alex:: It isn’t a rule in our family.

In a phone call to me, “I have failed as a father to my youngest son.”

Overheard in the car after school

Child: Dad, you didn't have to go to work today?
GR: Nope.
Child: You get to choose when you go to work?
GR: No. I don't have a job right now.
Alex: You got FIRED!
GR: No. I quit.
Sam: You don't have a job?
GR: I do, but I start on Monday.
Child: Where?
GR: I'm going to work from home.
Em: But that doesn't pay anything.

Back story, although the point of sharing the above is Emily's comment - clearly I've succeeded in teaching my children that I work even though I stay home, but... the back story of the rest of the conversation. For a sometime now GR's been looking for a different job. He's interviewed all over the country, and at all but one location, gotten a job offer. In most cases the jobs were a perfect fit for his skill set and career goals, but every time we've prayed about whether to accept the offer or not, we've gotten the answer, no. A few weeks ago GR made contact with a former co-worker who had a job opening she wanted him to apply for, and it had the potential of being a remote position that he could do from home. Long story short, he interviewed, it went well, he was offered the job and he starts next week.

We are really excited to have him around more, even if he's in another room working. He will continue to do hospital pharmacy IT, it's just for a hospital out of state. He will work from home, out of our bedroom of all locations, and will occasionally travel to work on-site, meet with doctors and assist with conversions. And for now we're sticking around here. We are hopeful that this first year we'll be able prove that this arrangement is good for their business as well as for us.

Piano Recital

This past summer Rebecca started taking piano lessons from a friend of ours who is extremely accomplished and very good with tween/teens.  Saturday was the recital ... a dozen students each played 2-3 pieces.  

Rebecca performed three pieces near the end of the recital.  

I don't think Rebecca had any real idea what to expect - actually it's obvious when you watch her performance.  Heavens, she wanted to go in jeans and a t-shirt.  The only hint I had that she might be a tinge nervous or at all apprehensive was that she would only allow one of us to attend and I think she would have preferred us to just drop her off.  GR took the middle two to a chess tournament and I took Becca and the little ones to the recital.

She's doing really well and is continuing to stick with it. She is so excited to start playing Christmas music and it's time to get a little metronome to help her with her counting - so purest, I suggest not hitting the play button below.  

What happens when Dad's been Bishop nearly your entire life ...

Anna, GR and I had this little conversation this morning when GR walked into the kitchen wearing his suit ...

Anna:  Is it a church day? 

Me:  Yep, it's a church day.
 
Anna:  {inquisitively} Dad's day?
 
Me: {totally confused!??}  Huh, Dad's day?  Honey we're all going to church. 


Anna:  {very excitedly} Guys, it's a church day for all of us!  Yea, it's a church day for all of us. 

This picture was taken back in October. 
Anna and Alex were helping me with a project.

3rd Grade Music Program

Last night was the 3rd Grade Musical. They did sang about a dozen movie tunes, and once again did a fantastic job. This performance was fantastic because of how well the kids sang the songs, and because of the sheer number of songs they sang.

Sam was given a speaking line to help introduce "I'm a Believer" from Shrek. So we dressed him up as Shrek. It took me a couple of musicals to realize that typically, kids dressed up on their own, not because the music teacher asked them dress as a specific character. She encouraged the kids to dress up as a character from one of the songs they were going to sing.

Before we got his speaking assignment we talked about the different characters he could dress up.  The one he and I liked the most was Michael from Mary Popins ... simple and straight from wardrobe, and not likely to be done by many other kids -- which proved to be true - Adam's Family was by far the favorite! 

But when we got his speaking assignment and realized he would be helping to introduce Shrek, it only made sense to try and dress him up like Shrek.  I made the ears/horns using felt - they are about an inch too long - and attached them to a felt sleeve that went over one of the girls thin headbads.  The vest was made using these instructions.  It would have fit better if I taken one more measurement ... across the lower shoulder blade, around under his arms.  I needed an extra inch or so under his arms to help the vest fit better.  

He wanted nothing ... nothing to do with this costume.  In the end he left the ear/horns down in the audience.  I tried to tell him that the ears were what made the costume ... were what told everyone who he was.  He realized that after the performance and the next day apologized for not wearing them.

We "celebrated" by going out for pizza.  That's the other thing I've learned after years of music programs.  I can typically help get kids ready and/or in costumes and out the door on time OR feed them and get them out the door on time, not all three.  Hiring out dinner the night of the program ... we'll be doing that again.   

Here's their "I'm a Believer Performance":

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween! 

 

Cleopatra, Obi-wan Kenobi, Athena

Ballerina, Policeman

Anticipation

Rebecca and Emily are huge Percy Jackson fans.  We've been waiting nearly a year for book 2 of his 2nd Olympian series.  As a family we listened to book 1 on our way to DC for the Rally and to spend Halloween with GR's sister. 

We pre-odered it through the last school book order and I had to resist the temptation to buy it from the bookstore over the long weekend.  She got it today and the race is on.  Becca's done nothing else since the school bell rang ... nothing else, and I'm looking the other way.  GR couldn't wait and purchased the eBook for his phone a few days ago.  They will likely finish at about the same time.  I'm hoping the audiobook waiting list moves quickly so I can get in on the fun soon too!

Choir Concert

The 6th grade had a small performance this evening at the middle school.  It was one of the shortest performances I've been too, but it was delightful.  Anna and I went, as two others had soccer this evening and GR played Currier.  The theater was packed and thanks to some friends Anna and I got decent enough seats to record most of the two songs Rebecca's music class prepared.  We quickly learned that it is simply impossible for even half the parents to have a seat in the auditorium, making me extra glad that the entire family did not attempt to attend.

Tomato Tomato

Anna's preschool class did the Bible Story today.  They talked about all the amazing creatures God created.  A third of the class had flying creatures, a third of the class had water creatures, and a third of the class had land animals.  Anna's had land animals.  They were each given an chance to say what two animals they had in the hands.  Anna had a "reindeer" (aka moose) and "little lamb."

This picture is of her and her friend K, discussing after this portion of the group "presentation."  Shortly after she had to go to the bathroom and while we washed hands I asked her what she and K were talking about.  

"K says it is a sheep, but it isn't a sheep.  It's a little lamb." 

Picking Pumpkins with Preschoolers

We got to go to a new to us pumpkin patch this year.  Anna got a preview of it Saturday with Grandma and Grandpa, as it was one of the farms they stopped at on the farm tour.  

One of the little extras this farm has is a butterfly house filled with all the flowers butterflies love.  They mostly had monarch and swallowtail butterflies.  We got a great hands-on lesson about the butterflies, what plants to look for to find eggs and teeny tiny baby caterpillars, where to find big fat caterpillars ready to go into their J formation and form a chrysalis and which caterpillar would turn into which butterfly.  It was really cool for the kids to see butterflies in every stage of life. I posted a couple of my butterfly pictures here.

Here is Anna with her friend J.  They are playing with a Woolly-bear caterpillar.  Did you know they turn into moths?  

Anna really really wanted to ride on the tricycles, she tried every bike they had, looking for one she could easily ride, and never did find one she could master.  All the kids really miss having a paved driveway and street to ride their bikes on.  I keep hoping they will get over it and just ride them anyway, but it hasn't happened yet.  

The "pool" of corn kernels was where she spent most of her time, as did many of the other kids.  They had so much fun covering limbs, digging down deep and "landing" in the kernels.   

It took a little bit but she finally settled on a beautiful squatty pumpkin she is quite proud of.  We're getting quite a nice assortment of pumpkins at the house.  Alex's Kindergarten class went yesterday and he brought home a nice oval shaped pumpkin.  I'm waiting to get some big carving pumpkins so they don't rot waiting to be carved.   But we're looking forward to having friends over for an afternoon of carving. 

We were to BOOS (Bring our own snack) and took a trail mix of popcorn, pretzels, cheez-its, raisins, M&Ms and candy corns.  Very tasty and easy to put together for classroom parties.