Twelve to catch up!

1. Let the countdown begin! (One month from today.)  Official travel papers and release letter from the mission president have been received, and now we are just twiddling our thumbs in excitement! 

 2.  Maddie and Calder after a stake color activity.

 (Maddie, Junior, Calder, Daphne, Halee, Dallin)

 3.  I was preparing a lesson for church.  I was going to show them a video on the childhood test where kids are asked to wait ten minutes to eat a marshmallow that is placed before them.  If they can wait, without eating it, they are rewarded with another one when the time is up.  
  I came into the kitchen a few days later to see that Hy had decided to give himself the test.  He added chocolate sauce to it for extra temptation.  He even had a buzzer ready, in case he had to cry 'uncle'.  The picture on the left is soon after he began.  The picture on the right shows the agonizingly long last few minutes. 

 

 4.  We drove to the Ross Perot Science Museum over spring break.  It was such a great museum that I almost forgave Ross for making me cry on my living room floor, while rocking Justin as a baby, during the 1992 disappointing election returns and George H.W. Bush's loss.  -Almost.

 5.  Our cute, little local theater has a $10.00 prize drawing each month.  Hy won!  He was beyond thrilled.  I took him to pick up the prize after two weeks of his pestering me to do so.  When the owner leaned down to verify that he was the winner and asked him his name, Hy replied without hesitation, "Curious George".   
Doh!  
Do you remember the picture of the mother doing a facepalm in the children's book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?  Well, I imagine I looked very similar to that.  But, the owner was very kind, and wouldn't you know he just happened to have a Curious George Jack in the Box on display that he was more than happy to share with us before the movie! 
  On the way home it was raining very hard and I needed both hands for the steering wheel.  Hydn was studying his ten dollar bill intently.  He yelled over the rain and thunder, "MOM, IS THE GUY ON HERE A GOOD KING?" 
  "He's not a king, remember our country doesn't have kings.  We have presidents."
  "Oh yeah...  Well, is he a good fighter then?"  
  Sadly, the only face on a bill I have memorized is Grant's on the 50.  But, I figured the odds were in my favor if I said, "Yes, he was a good fighter."
  When I checked the rearview mirror I saw Hy's grin grow even bigger and his fist pull into himself as he whispered a fervent, "YES!"
  When I could finally examine the bill closer I saw my mistake.  Ha!  It's probably the only time Alexander Hamilton was ever called a good fighter.  ...we're gonna let that one slide for now.


 6.  Maddie and her camera work miracles! 

 7.  I took the kids to the graveyard with me for my walk this last week.  Hy played in the sand pile- that is used for the new graves - with trucks.  Is that... I don't know... is that okay?  I had my doubts.  Grave doubts ;) 
  Pal decided to walk the perimeter and check to see if I was REALLY walking as many miles each day as I said. 

 8.  Bert's boss has had recent back surgery and is disabled for a bit.  This means that Bert doesn't get to come home much.  In fact, I think he's only been home a total of 17 hours in the last four weeks.  We miss him a lot.  Hydn was worried he had forgotten what he looked like.  I showed him this picture of when he got to go to work with him last fall.  One day last fall Hydn woke himself up at five, got dressed, got a banana and drink (just like Dad) and was waiting for Bert when he walked out of the bedroom.  He said, "Dad, I'm ready to go to work with you!"  How does he Dad say no to that?!  He doesn't.  So Bert took him to work for the day.  Neither have asked for a repeat.

9.  I had a pretty good idea for a Christmas gift this year for my older three kids.  (Or at least, I thought it was a good idea.)  We've read a lot of books together, and aloud, as a family.  I love having a common family language.  If ever I was trying to describe somebody to a family member who had never met the person, I could simply say, "She reminds me of the Widow Douglas" and they would know exactly what I meant.  Or, if I felt I needed to remind them of an important lesson without harping, I could quote a favorite passage like this one in Little Britches, “A man's character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin. If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth.”

  Well, I wanted the kids who are away from home to know that I was thinking of them each day, and that although I might not have any great words of advice, we had a 'family language' for just such occasions.  I took 140 books and found a favorite passage or quote from them.  I printed them off, cut them, and wrapped each of them separately around a piece of candy.  Then I wrapped each piece of candy and asked them to open one little sweet bit of advice from me each day, and even though they weren't home, to visit with me, and keep me company, in our 'family language.'  

 Here are a couple of my favorite conversations:

“Dad," said Will, his voice very faint. "Are you a good person?"
"To you and your mother, yes, I try. But no man's a hero to himself. I've lived with me a lifetime, Will. I know everything worth knowing about myself-"
"And, adding it all up...?"
"The sum? As they come and go, and I mostly sit very still and tight, yes, I'm all right.”
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes

“If he or she really goes about it in earnest, anyone can cultivate ability in ten years, I believe. Even in one year, shortcomings can be changed into good points if only we set our aims high enough. Continuing for ten years, we can become outstanding indeed...There is no limit to our shortcomings. Until we die, we should spare no time or effort in changing our weaknesses to merits. To do so can be pleasant and interesting. We can become like the horse that starts last and yet outruns the field, reaching the wire first; it is the same fun.”
― Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education

“‘I think your brothers have every right to tease you this way.’ Mamma said.‘Tease me!’ I cried out. ‘It is worse than Indian torture.’
‘Then bear it like an Indian,’ Mamma said.”
-John D. Fitzgerald, The Great Brain

“[M]y religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”― Stonewall Jackson

10.  Justin is now working on his fifth language.  He's got down English, Italian, a decent amount of Latin, 2 semesters of Persian, and Spanish.  I must have been his inspiration - Pig Latin just came naturally to me.

(The Italian club celebrating it's cook off win against the French club - They'd better have won!)

  

11.  Jesse is now an EMT!  First try.  I'm so proud of her.  I liked it best how she said it;

"Sooooooo It's legit:) Happy V-day to me, I'm a bonafide, certified, classified EMT! Watch out world... I will save you..." 

12.  It's officially spring.  I know because when I looked out the window I saw this -   What a great surprise.