Kindergarten is Over

We have no kindergarten graduation, but today is the last day of school.  On Monday they had a Bear Pride Assembly.  Every child earn exactly one award, and only one award.  They were for different character traits.  When I was in elementary school we did it every 6 weeks, instead of once a year and always listened to the Yellow Rose of Texas, but never the National Anthem. It was years later, like a decade and half before I knew it was the song was the Yellow Rose of Texas, it was instrumental, it sounded like it was recorded back in 1910, and then recorded off an old phonograph on to a tape, and then played on big speakers. It seemed like everyone always got millions of awards at my assemblies.
Anyway, here is J at his, I didn't realize there was an assembly until about 40 minutes prior.  If I would have known, we might have combed his hair, or at least made him wear matching clothes.  We all have our proprieties in life and right now those are not mine.  Mine lately has been the baby quilt, and park days.

 Here he is with his friend.  Thankfully I'm friends with his friend's mom.  I'm not sure I would have survived kindergarten without constantly texting her back and forth.  No kindergarten is not hard, but it is confusing as first time as a parent in public schools.

 And here are the little sisters.  My daughter is almost a year younger than her friend, and then the youngest sister is a less than a year and half younger than my daughter.

Normal Conversations

Last night my husband and I were having a seemingly normal conversation about a fairly common topic.  Then near the end I just wanted to smile.  He said a seemingly normal opinion, and yet I was reminded of the charity and humanity he possesses, and I was glad he was my husband. I think he has a great capacity for charity, much more than the average person, he denies knowing what I'm talking about, and said he has no charity for anyone. He says he is very self interested, but to me he reminds me of Jacob in Chapter 2, when it says,

2 Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might  rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God." 

My husband would say he only serves others, to rid his garments of sin, but as his wife I see him possessing great charity for those he serves.

3 And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of my calling; but I this day am weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls...

  And for the sake of my husband's pride, I will end the post now, with no further explanation, and the post a more light hearted post in hopes it distracts viewers from this one.  I have no journal for myself at this point, so right now the blog in slightly vague terms has to serve. The moral of the story is I'm sure you can guess who I'm madly in love with.

Temple

For a few weeks, I really felt like I should attend the temple.  I've really struggled with regular attendance now that I have to drive an hour instead of 20 minutes.  Yes, I realize an hour distance would be a huge blessing for most of my members in my church, but for me I've had to completely change my pattern of attendance.  Two Saturdays ago I didn't feel like I had the time, but I went anyway.  I ate right before I went in and then felt sick the whole hour I participated.  I wondered why I felt so strongly to attend.  I was grateful for the blessing of the temple, but still.  My pregnancies and the temple don't go so well.  Out of three pregnancies, I have now almost passed out twice, and during the other pregnancy a worker asked me if I was going into labor, I said I sure hope not, I still have three months left.  But yes, I did have regular contractions during the whole two hours. I did not get near passing out two saturdays ago, but I still felt awful.
The following sunday in church, my friend shared a story.  She said a few months ago, she hadn't been to the temple for the month.  She was so busy she figured she might skip it.  But she went anyway, then of course she had enough time to get everything done.  If we put the temple first, we always have enough time.
I didn't think much of it at first, but the story stuck with me and I kept thinking about it.  Finally I realized that is why I got more done that Saturday then I ever get done on Saturdays even with being gone for 3+ hours at the temple.  When I went to bed that Saturday I wondered how I had enough time.  I was glad I heard the story, I needed that reminder in my life.
My daughter also reminded me of something, when I got home, I need to take her to temple so, she can be on the grounds and maybe catch a glimpse of a bride.

Saturday morning

We were in the car during the Saturday morning General Conference session.  Our plan at first was to listen to it streaming on my husband's phone.  Unfortunately we were driving in the middle of no where, and the streaming wasn't quite up to 3G capabilities. Which meant I was super excited to read The Ensign when it came out this month.  This are my two favorite quotes from Saturday morning, that I shared with the girls I visit teach. By the way I loved Boyd K. Packer's talk, in my opinion it showed a different side of him than some of his other recent talks.



The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them by BOYD K. PACKER

The Father’s plan designated the pattern of the family to help us learn, apply, and understand the power of love. On the day my own family was organized, my sweet Ann and I went to the temple and entered into the covenant of marriage. How much I thought I loved her on that day, but I had only begun to see the vision of love. As each of our children and grandchildren entered into our lives, our love has been expanded to love each of them equally and fully. There is seemingly no end to the expansive capacity to love.

The feeling of love from our Heavenly Father is like a gravitational pull from heaven. As we remove the distractions that pull us toward the world and exercise our agency to seek Him, we open our hearts to a celestial force which draws us toward Him. 

He Truly Loves Us by PAUL E. KOELLIKER of the Seventy

Spring 2012 General Conference

The Third's Third

I am 27 weeks.  I think that means I'm in my third trimester. Who could really ever know these things.  I know if you take 40, and divide my three I'm now in the last third.  Except if you give birth at 40 weeks, you really have only been pregnant for 38 weeks.
I'm starting to get stressed about this baby's birth.  The due date is the 16th, J and N start school the 21st.  Just for the record my babies come after their due dates, like at 40 and half weeks.  Do you know what 40 and half weeks for me is?  The 20th or the 21st.  Ahh!
Luckily Grammy should be here.
Everyone is getting excited about baby brother.  N asks me constantly when are we going to the doctor to get baby brother out?  Little does she know she is not coming.  Brent wants to stay home with N, but I told him that's not an option.  He also recently expressed the desire to give up on natural childbirth, since it doesn't work for us anyway.  He said we go in, and once they put me on pitocin, we are getting the epidural before we are tired.  He apparently doesn't believe in the power of going as long as possible drug free.  There is a chance I put that thought in his head.  I need to start thinking about my expectations, but I really don't want to. The 6 year old is constantly talking about his desire to see the future so he is better at Poptropica computer game, that sounds nice with the baby.  Someone please look into the future and tell me what decisions would make child birth for the third time the easiest.
This baby is quite strong, and I must be big enough for strangers to now ask me about my pregnancy.

Joy School Graduation

Remember my post about Joyschool being over.  Well we had graduation on Monday night.

 Tah dah, the five graduating girls. Poor Nan, her head is small, so her hat wouldn't stay on.

Follow Up

As a follow up, Yes, the chaos drove me crazy during the science fair.  I know you can't complain unless you are willing to fix something. I have fantastic ideas, like have the judges judge the projects, before you let the children who didn't do a project run around without supervision with the idea that they are "looking" at the projects. Next year, might not be my year to volunteer, but I'm thinking maybe 2nd grade.  I guess it depends on what my 8 month old is like.

Science Fair

My husband and my son decided to participate in the science fair.  My son wanted to do something with flashlights and mirrors, I think.  My husband suggested lasers which totally jazzed up our 6 year old.  Thus their project was born. This is completely a group project, and it is expect that an adult will help you, in fact the work packet asked for your adult's name.  There was a lot of things I hated about the science fair, like putting together the board. I ended up using my glue gun, I love a glue gun.  But it sort of all didn't matter, because my son loved every second of working with his dad.  Actually what did matter was the science fair was totally chaotic, and gave me a killer headache.  I really hated that part.  I couldn't stand the lack of organization.  

My son got second place out of about 6 kindergartners.  He was very very proud.  He also talked about how he wanted to get first next year, so I gave him some constructive criticism.  I also thought doing slightly an easier project would make it easier to explain.  He actually had his presentation down, he just couldn't focus very well in all the massive chaos.  

We learned a lot this year, which will help next year, when he has more competition, although its low numbers in any of the younger grades.

Mother's Day

I know you are dying to know about my mother's day after I told you about their song singing for FHE.  Well Saturday afternoon my son had a birthday party to attend at Lowe's, when we drove home from the party we had two Apple Trees in the back of the Subaru.   My husband spent the evening digging out our sand, to put in the trees. We have a nice mature lot with six large trees already, but no fruit trees. 

 My daughter wanted to help.  I mentioned that this might be a mother's day present for my husband.  He said whatever, who is the one that eats apples everyday.  I'm just trying to give you apples when the world falls apart. That was so nice, hopefully the world doesn't fall apart in less than 5 years.  Its true though, he wants a pear tree, but we don't think we have room for two more trees, and the pear needs to be cross pollinated.

 Then my daughter, wore my favorite shirt to church, its about to be too small.  It turns out I love big mum like flowers in her hair-- expect a craft follow up post to that. Large daisies don't look right with her small oval head, but small bows and daisies are fine.

 Here are our two apple sticks poking out of the dirt.  One day we'll have to cut down that tree behind the second stick, but I want to anyway, because its not straight, and blocks the path.  Here's hoping we can keep our trees growing straight in our WINDY WINDY town.  Don't mind our brown grass, once we turn on our sprinklers it will be fine.  We have a natural spring in our yard, and its interesting to see the water veins in the grass.   Brent said he hit water planting the tree in the green grass.  He said hopefully it grows with the sand that wet.  He is guessing the one in the brown grass grows better.  Our dirt is sand in this state.

Also my son make me a super cute book about his mom in school.  It says my favorite thing is to take naps. Darn pregnancy, makes me seem lame.  The kids love to try to surprise me by saying, "Happy Mother's Day" every few minutes.  Brent made berry crapes for dinner, they were super yummy. Plus they doubled as dessert and dinner.

Reoccurring Dream

When my husband is out of town I have a reoccurring dream.  Its about how Brent isn't around and a miss him so much, and I really hope one day when we grow up and graduate from college we'll end up being more than just friends and get married.
This is funny, because apparently my subconscious hasn't got the memo that I ate my words and got married in college. (Plus had a baby before I graduated too.)
I always desperately miss my husband when he is gone, but it turns out having the bed to myself when I'm pregnant isn't totally bad.  Although I'm always grateful when he's back next me.


Oh a side note, during date night, I said to Brent, I re-check out a baby name book from the library, but I don't want to read it again, lets stick with what we got unless something better just pops into our head.  He said sounds good to me.  He hates when I'm reading baby name books, and suggesting everything under the moon.  Anyway, hooray, its nice to be settled on a name, maybe... Its nice not to be on the hunt.  Just for the record I probably won't tell you what it is, unless we are in person, then its questionable.  Just for the record, my blog definitely isn't being told what it is, sorry. I have absolutely no idea what my husband's take is on sharing the name with you, so good luck.

The end

I taught the last lesson for Joy School today.  We are cutting off the last two weeks, the girls are done, as are we mothers.  I was relieved when it was over.  I think it should be bittersweet, but I don't know if it is.  My daughter is only three, but yet she and I are not continuing this curriculum next year.  I'm glad I had the opportunity to do a full year of mom co-op preschool with my daughter, something I was not afford with my son.  We still have graduation, and then we are done!
After a month or two of completely confusion on what course to take with my daughter next year.  I think I've decided, and my husband seems to agree, he at least doesn't disagree.  Its been a rough decision, an emotional decision, and a tough choice, but I think I've made the best choice for my daughter, even if its not the choice I want.  For months, when I wondered what to do with my daughter next year, I felt a complete void, nothing seemed bad, but nothing seemed anything. I was thinking everywhere from paid preschool, to a year at home with baby brother, just doing playgroups and story time, but everything seemed blank. I had no idea what plans to make.  I figured oh well, I'm having a baby in August how could I make plans now. Then something I wasn't expecting came through, and I knew it was what my daughter needed.  At the same time its not what I wanted, but I guess that is what it means to be a mother.  I'm not doing what I want, I'm doing what she needs.

Mother's Day

Mother's day in our household is probably not as commercialized as some of you, and more remember then others.  That is specific huh!  My husband has never bought me flowers for mother's day. He recently let me in on his dirty trick.  I said just once surprise me with flowers instead of asking in the store.  If I can see the price tag I don't want to waste the money. I guess I should say, just twice, he did surprise me once. He finally told me after years of me complaining of this, well if I don't ask you in the store, then you'll want me to waste the money.  Harmph!  Stinky man. 

For mother's day, he does make dinner.  He and the kids make cards, which is a must tradition in our house for holidays.  But other than that, we are way too rational.  I usually buy my own present, because it turns out I really hate surprises from him.  If I'm specific he has no interest in going to the store to get me, what I've already picked out.  I just get it myself, which I agree with, I feel like we have a finite amount of time with him, and so why I do want him wasting time at a store I've already been to.  When it comes to dessert, sometimes he makes it, sometimes I make it, and sometimes I buy it from the store.  Once again why would I send him to the store to buy a dessert I've already picked out, while I'm already out running errands.  Yes, we are very much realists and very unromantic, but it works for us.  Sometimes I make dessert because I know what I want, I know how to make it the way I like it, and don't want to spend $10 on dessert, other times I do want want fancy store bought dessert. Other times he makes something for me, but its never quite as fancy as I want my dessert to be, which is why I rarely ask him to make me a dessert.  Now some of you more commercialized holiday folks, who also happen to me more romantic than us, may say, "ask him?".  Yes, because we've already established I don't like surprises because its different then what I planned in my head.  So what will mother's day be like this year?  Crappy, not because of my family, but because I always feel crappy on Sunday afternoon's after being pregnant and teaching primary.  I'll take a nap until I feel so crappy I must get up and consume calories.  Hopefully during which time, my family does something nice, like make cards.  Then my husband will make dinner.  I really should get a plan together on want I for dessert. Maybe I'll make him make it, who knows.  You know what my wildest dreams are, a donut shop in my town.  Seriously what type of small town doesn't have a donut shop?  

I'm off topic the whole point of this post is, there are a lot of holiday's through out the year.  Mother's Day, my birthday, Christmas, our anniversary, Valentine's day.  We are WAY too frugal/unromantic/realistic to do something special each holiday.  Not to mention, I can remember the date of our first kiss, when we got engaged, when I first went through the temple, yeah, there could be a lot of holidays/anniversaries.  What weekend we bought our house.  Things like our first date, and when we moved into our house are a little more blurry.  I do not want extravagance for each big day.  But every so often, not each big day, but every few big days, my husband does something to truly win me over.  This past monday, we were making cards for Grandma's and considering my husband doesn't get home until 6:30, and bedtime rituals should start at 7, I'm almost always cranky on Monday nights, during FHE, dinner, or bedtime, usually only one, rarely all three.  So I was ornery, and just wanted to "git 'er done."  Instead my husband decided to woo me.  He and the kids changed the lyrics to half a dozen or more Primary songs melodies about how much they like me, the mom, while I glued the cards together.  It was very sweet, I told them I wanted to film it next year.  The kids really got into it. Still what do I want for dinner and dessert...

Reading

I'm sure it seems like I haven't read anything in about 8 months but that isn't true.  Last fall/early winter, I re-read the Bloody Jacky Books, by L.A. Meyer.  Over the summer, I convinced my mom to give me the series since she didn't actually read it, and as far as I could tell I was the only one actually reading her copies of books.  I love the series, and it was nice to read them back to back, which I never had the chance too, so I could finally remember ALL the characters.  I wish Meyers would hurry up and finish the series, as much as I love the books how many adventures can one character have in four years.  Seriously nine books already?!  Still I do love Jacky, and so after I finished all nine books, I couldn't bare to read a book with a different character.

Here are my last two reviews of Meyer's books.

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh I loved this book, because I love Jacky.  This is one of the few books in the series that made me cry.  Mariad's character/story is definitely sad in this book. I do love these stories, but I'm getting ready for a real conclusion.

The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea by L.A. Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly don't know what to write, I love Jacky as my other reviews say.  But there are so many synopses online it seems silly to write a plot review.  Her bald head in reference to boys weirds me out. The end of review.

View all my reviews

Since I loved Jacky too much to read about any other fictional character's after such a marathon, and being in my first trimester of pregnancy next I checked out a near million baby name books from the library.


Baby Names Made Easy: The Complete Reverse-Dictionary of Baby Names by Amanda E. Barden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite baby name books I checked out from the library.  She arranges them by topic, ie nature, religion, etc. Which was great because meaning of names is a big thing for me. My son's means, "God is my salvation" and my daughter's name reverences religion and the month she was born.  It was great because it had a glossary to look up names, which was useful, because the were arranged by topic then alphabetical order.

Baby Names That Go Together: From Lily, Rose, and Violet to Finn and Fay - Sibling Names That Mix and Match in a Perfect Way by Eric Groves, Sr.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I thought this was a super lame baby name book.  I didn't find it useful at all.  It groups names, ie listing all the female names from Harry Potter in a group, or a bunch of greek mythology together. I did read the whole thing, but I didn't find it useful.

Beyond Ava & Aiden: The Enlightened New Guide to Naming Your Baby by Linda Rosenkrantz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book had some fasnicating information about baby name trends, history and cultural patterns of naming.  The downfall to this book is the author does not include definitions.
She also has a website I've referred to, nameberry.com

Choose the Perfect Baby Name: Use Numerology to Decide on a Name That Will Benefit Your Child for Life by Sonia Ducie

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was complete fluff and I knew that when I checked it out.  Its about Numerology for your baby name.  I checked it out as a throw back to all those slumber parties. Reading the horoscopes and doing the numerology pages in the teen magazines.  I had fun reading our name horoscopes, I mean numerology scopes for about a half an hour then I picked up a real baby name book.  I didn't believe any of it, it was purely entertainment. 

The Baby Name Countdown: 140,000 Popular and Unusual Baby Names by Janet Schwegel

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I would never recommend this book, it has no definitions, no nothing.  Just a list of 140,000 names.  It was pointless.

The Baby Name Bible: The Ultimate Guide By America's Baby-Naming Experts by Pamela Redmond Satran

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Extremely useful name book. Very comprehensive and gives definitions.  Easy to use, straight forward. I think I will actually check it out again, and re-read all the boy names.  I'm not sure my husband and I are getting anywhere or not with our name picking.  I like the long list of variations it gives for names too.

Then I was reading to break back into fiction, I started reading Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had never read Laura Ingalls Wilder before, but had heard bits and pieces of my husband reading Farmer Boy, twice to my son, years apart. After hearing different chapters here and there, I got the book one from the library. I love Laura, she is so wonderful. We bought the box set and hopefully my son will read them himself next year. This is the first in the series and boy does Laura's family have a different life than mine or even her future husband Almanzo. I would highly recommend this book to any age.  I love her parents too.

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book too, because really I can't imagine anyone not loving Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of the things I love about her books is even though they are about a girl I don't think they are only girl books.  I don't think she overly plays up the girlishness at all, I think a boy could totally enjoy the plot.  

Apparently Laura fixed my problem, because I started reading other fiction again.
Then I re-read things for my book group.
I read The Evolution of Calpurina Tate, which is what I picked for book group, two more times.
I also re-read and considered Hattie Big Sky, and What Happy People Know.  I would highly recommend all three books.
I also then I got,

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was told this book was a fictional story two families who adopted Asian daughters, and the differences in how they raised them.  Being fascinated with foreign adoption I quickly got the book from my library.  I was mistold about this book.  The book is a coming of age book about a middle age widowed Iranian woman in America.  Ok, so maybe its not coming of age when the character is in her 60s, but it was still a story about one girl's grandma, not about the two families who adopted the girls.  I was very disappointed, in fact I was mad when I finished the book and annoyed I'd wasted my time. I guess this is just not one of the genres I like at this stage of life, because I know many people love this author. Terrible thing is I found out it is book group selection in about 10 months, I can't re-read it then.  I guess I'll just have to remember I didn't like it.

Now I'm currently reading the Chocolate Pot Series, I've finished one, and am on two.

Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book.  I thought it was Jane Austen mixed with Harry Potter.  How can you go wrong with that mix?!  The romance/society/dating of Austen and mixed with magic.  It was fun, and I would totally recommend it to people who like both JK Rowling and Jane Austen.  It was a little predictable when it came to the romance, but isn't that the way we like Austen's time period.  But I also found two story tellers slightly confusing, the book is a series of letters back and forth between cousins.

Moral of the story, I have been reading.  

I guess its also no surprise that after lunch my kids and I get out our books and read. I guess my daughter "reads" but my son is actually reading.

Second moral never give up on someone who doesn't read, or doesn't like reading, or is struggling at reading, one day if you never give up they may read like a banshee. 

Also I would like to point out my library would make my life so much easier if they kept a cache of everything I read in the last 6 months.

I've also recently read, along with reading to your kids one of the best things you can do for your kids is read in front of them.  I think I have a check on that.  Second it also said every child who is a early reader was read to in the home.  I think that is a duh statement.  A couple of years ago, I read that children who have books in the home but aren't read to are more likely to become readers than children who are read to but don't have books in the home.  That is good for us, because we aren't as good about reading to our daughter as we were with our son.  But I mostly think that has to do with personality.  A lot of time she has no interest in us reading to her.  Other days we read and read and read to her.  She does show signs of emerging literacy since she is now "reading" her book, ie telling the story herself, and now she finishes the sentences of the books she really loves, like Snowballs. Actually considering she is the only one in our house who can't actually read, it makes sense she often would prefer to pretend to read, since that is what she thinks we are adoing. Unless she isn't familiar with the plot or its bedtime, then she wants us to read. My son brings home a different book every day from kindergarten to read to us, and if she doesn't get her chance to go on a picture walk (flipping though the pages looking at each picture) there is heck to pay.
And now you know why my family believes a room without a book is like a body without a soul. I guess Cicero said that.