Mid-week experiment

So I was thinking this morning that Wednesday is one of the hardest days of the week. It's short day at school, so I have to get Sam (K) there earlier than the rest of the week. Then they get out at 1:15 and there isn't a whole lot of time to get a lot done while they are at school. Then, of course, there's the trouble of filling the time once homework is done, laundry is folded and rooms are clean (don't get me wrong, sometimes, there isn't enough time in the day to get it all done!!) It's also the middle of the week, 2 more days to go till the weekend.

Blah, blah, blah. So I thought today that we would start a mid-week experiment. You know, find a science-y thing to try and experiment with. So I found a great website and chose one for today. But then, as the boys got in the car after school, they both about had a heart attack because I wasn't willing to go right back in with them to the Book Fair (don't get me wrong, I'm all about the Book Fair, just not today). So I made a deal regarding homework, etc, and took them to the Book Fair. They were doing a "buy 1 get 1 free" deal so I let them each choose 2 things. The boys each chose a Science Experiment Kit (did they read my mind?) and Ruthie got her own kit with nail polish and a nail polish book. (They did each get a book to read, as well.)

Today's experiments:
Ruthie got her toes painted and then was found under the table painting her fingers....not something I allow, but she did a great job and nothing got on the floor. Experiment complete and successful!

Sam chose to do Experiment #1 in his kit...finding True North with a magnet. It swung right to north. Experiment complete and successful! (Honestly, this is the best face he did!)
Isaac did Experiment #1, 2, 3 and then just skipped around to others he liked. His kit is for electricity. He had fun making the bulbs actually light up! Experiments complete and successful!
Needless to say, my experiment idea never happened. It was a fun afternoon, though. And hey, the best books I have found recently are the Skippy jon Jones books by Judy Schachner. So funny and you will talk with an accent in no time!

He was a very special man!

Last night, as I was watching TV, they broke in with the news that Gordon B Hinckley had just died a short time before. I called out to Daniel in another room that President Hinckley died, and Isaac jumped out of bed to come watch with us. I was crying and Daniel was asking me questions and we were going back and forth about how sad to lose him and how absolutely wonderful he is with his wife again, and Isaac was a little confused. We explained that this is a very sad time because we will miss him so much. It is a happy thing, though, because he is done here and is with Sister Hinckley and Heavenly Father again. After talking about it some more, Isaac went back to bed and Daniel and I stayed up to watch all the news about his life. This morning I told Ruthie and Sam that President Hinckley died last night. They both looked concerned, but then Isaac jumped in with all the things we said to him last night (I love it when they listen AND remember). He finished by saying, "He was a very special man!" Yes, he was. We will miss President Hinckley and wish his family the best. We will be talking a lot this week in our family about prophets and how they are called and why and how we sustain them. I am grateful for everything that President Hinckley did for the church and for us while he served. I also look forward to a new Prophet, Seer and Revelator who will counsel us and lead us through the next years of our lives here on earth. Death is not the end, it is the necessary next step in our salvation.

Manners Academy Award

If you have boys, you probably have noticed that they grasp on really quickly to the things that you don't want them to. For example, armpit "noises" that no civilized person should be exposed to. Now, I understand that we all make these noises at one time or another, but to a young boy, it is like discovering gold to be able to do it with another part of the body that is not meant to make those kinds of noises. Do you feel my pain?? Then, when it comes to things like, say, good table manners, for instance, no one remembers a thing!! Even though you go through all the rules of what's acceptable and what is definitely NOT acceptable, every single time you sit down for a meal. It's like you are introducing a brand new concept every time! So I thought of something that might just help with the manners. I found an Academy Award plastic fake at Zurcher's yesterday. So I bought it with the intent of having it be awarded to the child with the "Best Manners" at the dinner table. Worked like a charm. They all stayed seated in their own chairs, ate with silverware, didn't complain about what was on their plates, said please and thank you and talked with civilized tones! Amazing!! It was so hard to choose just one. So I promised that today I would go and buy 2 more so everyone could earn the award. On my way home from the store, my personal chatter box in the back seat starts the usual chatter. I usually don't pay all my attention to her because she isn't expecting a response. This time I was slightly daydreaming when she says, "Dinner should not only taste good, it should feel good." Umm...yep, it should feel good. So my goal now with the awards for "Best Manners" and just every day meal time is that it not only should taste good, it should feel good. Of course, if you have boys, you know that something that worked like a charm last night may never work again! Wish me luck...

The Nose Knows

Last night the kiddos were playing with Ruthie's sleeping bag...dragging each other around the house. Then, all of a sudden, the inevitable happens...someone gets hurt. Sam was standing on the bag and Isaac grabbed it and Sam went right down on his cute little nose. Ok, it's not really little anymore. It started swelling immediately! Fun! He was thrilled this morning that his eyes were a little black (not really, I think he is just very tired and has dark circles). So here are some pics of the nose and the kiddos. All Isaac would do was be like his father....the pretend nose picking in all the pics. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Living great in 2008

Ok. I need to update here. It's Wednesday afternoon and I need to make dinner so I will stop and do that at some point. But I need to update on our household.

This last Sunday I was sustained as the new Primary President in our new ward. We just went through some boundary changes and we are actually back in our home ward again. Daniel is the Ward Clerk so we will be busy busy! With a new year in and new callings and, a new attitude, for that matter, I think I am ready to take on anything. But don't quote me on that!

For now, what I really want for this new year is:

10. Keep in touch with friends, even though I will be kind of a crazy lady. Anyone want to go to lunch in a couple of weeks?
9. Remind myself, when necessary, but not overly, that Sarajune will be in our arms before we know it. We are not waiting, we are living!
8. Get started on my kids' bathroom. It needs some redoing and I already have a shower curtain and the colors for paint. I just need to find a few minutes to get started!
7. Get Ruthie's room ready for 2 girls. I have an idea for a cute girl room, but need to get the bathroom done first. This will be a great Fall project!
6. Make Sunday a good day for our kids. It will be hectic and crazy, but at some point it will be easier to get through.
5. I want Primary to be a great place for the kids in our ward. I can't believe already how much guidance I have gotten and how much love I have developed for these kids!
4. I need to remember that it's ok to do a little for ME! I sometimes think it's all about me, but seriously, I really need some of that!
3. We have a great babysitter-Jessica!! Daniel & I will use her to no end so that we can go on a couple of dates each month. We will need to put at least that into US!
2. We have always gone out to dinner as a family on Friday night. To make sure we have some really good family time, we will change that to an official "Family Movie Night" with homemade pizza each Friday. (Our FMNs have gotten fewer and farther between.) Also, now that Daniel isn't the YM pres. and has gotten some more vacation time, we will have more time this summer to go camping. Look out mountains and family ranch...we are coming!
And finally...
1. Our home will be a happy one. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in everything we have to get done. Even the not so important things become very important. No more! We will focus on the happiness and growth of our family. After all, that's where we find our greatest joy!

I really like it here!

Every day after school I ask my boys to rate their day...Good, Great or Fantastic. I usually get great or fantastic and very few goods and almost never a bad. Friday when I picked up, I asked the usual, "How was your day?", and Sam answered, "Great", and Isaac said "I had a really, really bad day!" I asked why and he said that an older boy made him get in trouble 16 times during recess. Apparently he was following Isaac around and telling the recess teachers that he was doing "bad" things. He said he tried to tell the teachers that the boy was lying and he wasn't doing anything wrong, etc, but to no avail. So we went throught he usual "What can you do better next time" and all that. When we got home he went straight to his room, and, after a few minutes, I went in to ask if he was ok and gave him a hug. I asked if he was glad to be home and he said "Yeah, I really like it here!" You know how we are always trying to make sure our homes are a refuge from the world and a place of safety and peace and love? Well, if ever a 7 year old could say those words, Isaac said them with that simple statement, "I really like it here!" I really like it here, too.

Happy New Year!

Happy January 1st of 2008, everyone. I am looking forward to a new year. We have just had some changes at church and I am going to wait until Monday of next week to write about my hopes and plans for 2008.

Tomorrow does mark 9 years since my first date with my sweetie Daniel. I can't believe how fast it's gone and how much we've done! I also can't believe that we have 3 kiddos and how old THEY are! WOW. Time flies. Have a great week and I will be back next week.