Hopefully They're Learning Something

So remember this post (Sometimes Once a Year Feels Like Too Much…) when I relayed our eventful and embarrassing visit to the Bishop's office for tithing settlement?  Well, the embarrassment continued this Sunday when we had the home teachers over.  The polite home teacher asks the kids, "What is the most important meaning of Christmas?"  Hunter blurts out, "PRESENTS!"  To which I reply, "Are you kidding me?!"  He then says, "What?  Is it about family or something?"  He then was promptly assigned to teach his second family night in a row (the last one was on tithing) which was on the true meaning of Christmas.  I then had a mini-break down where I wondered how it was that after 10 years of family nights, every week almost without fail, he did not understand what tithing was or what Christmas was really about.  Seriously.  BUT, hopefully they will all remember they had fun together every week, right?

Hunter using the nativity to teach his lesson

The lesson is interrupted briefly with this craziness

Ashton was in charge of the games and he chose "Button, button, whose
got the button?"  All of the kids STILL love this game.

A little more distraction--Robert's given up in the background

Christian gets in on it

And why not make a human pyramid for family night?

Madison was hyper

Red light, Green light--Christian is waaaaay too into it

On a more pleasant note, we purchased our first real Christmas tree this year and boy does it smell festive!

  

The Power of Optimism

Once a month, I participate in a "learning circle" called the Power of Moms.  Each month we take turns reading a topic regarding motherhood and then come ready to discuss it within the group.  This month's learning circle article was on the power of optimism.  One of the questions asked by the discussion leader was examples each of us had when we chose to laugh instead of cry in a hard or stressful situation with our children.  Ever since then, I have been thinking of various examples throughout my child rearing years when I had chosen to laugh instead of yell.  Here are some of them:

*Christian around the age of 4 decided to "help" me out by cleaning.  He doused his rag in TOILET WATER (because that was what he could reach at the time) and cleaned the whole kitchen with it.  He was very proud of himself, and I wasn't going to ruin that for him.  So I just laughed.

*Hunter cut a very large swath of Elisabeth's hair down to the scalp.  When questioned as to why he did this, he very logically explained in his 5 year old way that he was looking through the scrapbooks and saw that Elisabeth was the only one who didn't have a hair sample in her book. He just wanted her to have some hair in her scrapbook like everybody else.  How could I get mad at that?!

*After moving into our brand new home, Robert and I came back from a date to find that Hunter had colored at least half of the grout between the stones in our entry way.  Once again, we questioned him as to what would possess him to do this, and he replied, "It was plain and I wanted it to be colorful!"

*Christian was 4 and STILL not potty trained.  We were on a trip to Nauvoo when he had a major blow out.  Robert laid Christian's enormous body out on the lawn of the NAUVOO TEMPLE grounds (which I have a picture of) and changed him while I laughed hysterically and took pictures.  I'm not sure Robert was laughing with me.

*When Madison was 2 years old, I went into her room after her nap time.  Well, no nap had been taken.  Instead she had gotten into her diaper pail and unwrapped all the pooh diapers, then stepped in it and made pooh art all over the room.  Pooh footprints on the carpet, walls and bed.  I was so utterly astonished at what greeted me when I opened the door that I just stood there and laughed.

*Elisabeth, for some odd reason, enjoyed sleeping naked when she was about 1.  Every night, we would go in her room and find her curled up in a little naked ball.  We tried telling her "no", we tried getting her in trouble, then we tried taping her pajamas on and she STILL got out.  Finally we brought out the big guns:  DUCT TAPE.  Robert duct taped her into her pajamas every night before bed.  It was sooo funny.  But it made her stop taking them off!

*After dental school, one of our first purchases was a new kitchen table.  I think it was one of the first things we bought that wasn't used.  The very first night we had it, Hunter took a fork and drug it across the shiny wood on top.  I can remember that at first we were a little upset, but then we both laughed saying now we wouldn't have to stress so much about it being broken in--it already was!  Since then, we have gone back to buying "scratch and dent" items so we don't have to worry so much about the treatment of brand new things.

*I was working in the yard with the kids.  I went inside for 10 minutes for a phone call and when I came back, they had taken the big yard scissors and cut a path through the front yard for themselves--trees, bushes, flowers, everything.  They explained that they just wanted a short cut for themselves when they walked to school.  For some reason, I just found it endearing and realized that I would always have a reminder of them for years to come when I saw the trail through the front yard.

*This one just happened a couple of weeks ago.  It was the morning and Madison had just left for school.  I went to get the vacuum only to discover that it was sitting in a puddle of what looked like diarrhea!  The vacuum hose and container that holds the dirt was full of pooh.  I exclaimed, "What happened?!"  Hunter calmly volunteered the information that Madison had cleaned up the dog's "accident" with the vacuum hose.  At the time, I wasn't laughing, but by the time Madison got home from school, we both had a good laugh about it.

What a wonderful reminder that learning circle was of how we can choose to respond to our children instead of simply react.

Sometimes once a year feels like too much...

It will be nice when going to annual tithing settlement doesn't involve heart palpitations and me being in a cold sweat.  Yes, today was tithing settlement and as is customary, our family of 7 met with the Bishop.  Here are some highlights:

--During the introductory chit-chat, Ashton and Hunter are socking each other and laughing uncontrollably.

--I am desperately trying to get their attention by yell-whispering, "Guys!  Shhhh!" while keeping a smile on my face as if I am sweet and somewhat amused.  But I am not either of these.

--Elisabeth is kicking the bishop's desk and accidentally kicks in one of the doors on the front of it.  The Bishop seems distracted with the introductory chit-chat so when Madison points at the door that Elisabeth has just demolished, I tell her to be quiet.

--Hunter, who was behind on paying tithing, when prompted by Robert as to whether he could make it up by the end of the year responds, "I don't know!  I can't tell the future!"  And then an exasperated, "FINE!  I'll do it!"  He then gets the giggles with Elisabeth and they won't control themselves.

--The Bishop has a basket of candy for the kids on his desk within their reach.  Elisabeth forages for candy like a starving squirrel while he is talking and won't stop in spite of my desperate whispers, "Stop!  Just pick one!"

--Upon getting in the car I reprimand Hunter on his disrespectful behavior and nominate him to teach tomorrow's family night lesson on the importance of TITHING.  He acts like he has never heard of the concept of tithing before.

--Robert telling the kids on the way home, "Sunday is officially over for us.  Don't answer the door, don't answer the phone and whatever you do, DON'T ask me and mom to do anything!"  Well said.

heaven.

**A post not to be taken too seriously.

I hope in heaven:

*I don't have white hair.

*I can wear something besides a formless white robe…with nothing on underneath.

*There are still ethnic groups.  How boring it would be if we were all to be white.  Some of the most beautiful people I know are of mixed race.

*There's rock music.  If I have to listen to only the Tabernacle Choir for all of eternity, I may demote myself in kingdoms to allow for some hip-shakin', booty rockin', strong bass music.

*That I will still be allowed to sometimes laugh at inappropriate things.

*I have a belly button.  The stomach would just look strange without one.

*Babies are made by lovingly touching thumbs.

*And that they are born through your ear, or just magically materialize.

*There are no private parts, or they are named something totally different than they are now.

*That there is still room for personality when everyone is "perfected".  Flaws are some of the things that make people interesting and endearing to me.

*That my dog is there.  And I guess at this point, I now realize I should have mentioned earlier that I want my family there too.  :)

*We can eat foods that aren't necessarily good for us.

*I don't have to "hearken" unto my husband, because we all know that ain't gonna happen…

*That there are still mountains.

*That there are colors that we have never seen before.

*That I can experience holding each of my children as babies again.

*That it rains.  And that there are rainbows.

*Heaven is indeed a joyful place in spite of the fact that we will have complete knowledge of all the suffering going on on the Earth.

*I can go back to being a child for a day, as well as Robert, and that we could play together as children.

*I can fly.

*My world is prettier than other people's worlds.  And my clothes.  And my children.  And myself.  Okay, I am showing my many many flaws.

*Certain people that I don't care for, don't make it.  Hahaha!  Okay--that's just mean.

*That sleep is still necessary.

*That I can meet Emma Smith, Eve, and of course Heavenly Mother.  Oh--and Oprah.  Here's hoping she repents for living with Steadman without being married for 27 years and accepts the gospel.

*I can have all my MANY questions and concerns answered.

*We can still have "family dinners" and celebrate holidays together.

*There's more to the hereafter than missionary work.  Blasphemous I know, but nonetheless true.

*I am there...

Pure Genius

These are pictures from the actual show

On Tuesday evening, Robert and I had a rare mid-week date to a modern ballet performance entitled, "Complexions".  It felt like the first time I tasted sushi--tastes I had never tasted and textures I wasn't used to, but incredibly and indescribably good.  I felt like my creative taste buds were salivating with delight.  The strange music, the intricate moves, and those bodies--those amazing, spectacular bodies.  Even the muscles had muscles!  I marveled at how it would be to have total control of my body with the ability to move and jump however I desired.  It was in that moment that I realized that I was seeing true genius.  It made me think about the other times in my life I had witnessed pure genius and that it made me feel like I was witnessing a small part of divinity.  It's inspiring what the mind and body can do when determined, but equally inspiring are the gifts that Heavenly Father blesses his children with.  And it's such a gift to be able to watch someone else display their genius because for a moment, you see what is possible.

     Christian and Robert are both reading the book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything".  It talks about all of the major scientific discoveries, how everything came to be known and how it all fits together.  Christian asked me why it seemed like a lot of the people we consider "genius" or "inspired" to make certain discoveries often had/have very corrupt aspects of their lives.  For example, Einstein left his wife to have an affair with his cousin and subsequently traded his cousin for his cousin's sister.  Also Christopher Columbus who is widely accepted to be inspired in coming to America, was an excellent navigator, a courageous explorer and an able captain, was also accused of decimating the Arawak Indians.  Why does God choose to work through people that are so imperfect?  In my opinion, it is because He works through natural laws and those that have the natural genetic means to facilitate God's purposes, He uses.  Some of the different types of genius that I have been blessed to witness are:


*The genius of wisdom.  Have you ever met a person that just seems to understand people and what life is all about?  They seem to innately know what the right decisions are in almost every situation and have the ability to meaningfully apply their knowledge?  I know several people like this and they bless the lives of everyone around them, including me.


*The genius of intelligence.  I know people whose minds are sponges for understanding anything they are taught.  I marvel when I see that their minds are able to simultaneously grasp the meaning of something the moment they hear it.  I greatly admire people who are always learning and expanding their minds, but also those that are quick in assimilating information no matter how complex.


*Musical genius--someone who at a young age who exhibits extraordinary understanding, depth, and ability when it comes to music.  http://youtu.be/xVpEc1yHWwI --Like this 10 year old name Jackie Evancho, for example, who was featured on America's Got Talent.  I don't know how you can listen to her and not gain a stronger conviction that God loves and blesses His children with extraordinary gifts.


*Artistic genius--I have always had a great appreciation for art in it's many forms.  I have had very spiritual experiences walking through art galleries and museums.  I once took a figure drawing class and my brain was literally in a cramp every time I went.  I had to strain with concentration and effort only to produce the most elementary sketches of the human body.  I am in awe of those that can just see things and easily communicate their version of what they see onto canvas.  


*The genius of spiritual understanding--I have been blessed to know many people in my life that are the absolute salt of the Earth.  These are people that seem to be tried and tried and tried, yet still persevere with faith in their quiet, unassuming ways.  Their lives are a testimony.  They don't need to bare a testimony out loud because they live as Christ would every day of their lives.  I always try to identify people like these because they often go unnoticed with few honors and acknowledgments.  But when I find them, I study them and cherish them because they are my heroes.


*The genius of words--This is a person who communicates their creativity or observations in a way that is precise and beautiful and in a way that no one else would.  I LOVE books, and when I read a skillful description of a character, or a masterful storyline, I am inspired.  Words have such incredibly power and I enjoy witnessing the capacity that a control and understanding of words has.


Every Mom knows the satisfaction of seeing your child excel at something they love.  With Christian, I worked tirelessly to find his talents, putting him in every class and lesson that was possible--chess lessons, cooking classes, art, every sport, violin, acting classes, etc.  And what did I discover?  He found his talents and interests by himself.  How I love that moment when you see your child totally and completely in their element.  It's like their body has tapped into their spirit and for a moment, they are one. 


I guess what I am really trying to get at is that genius and talents are a testament of God's love for us.  When I see someone exhibiting their talent, I feel appreciative, happy, in awe of the many ways God blesses our lives.  I am thankful for the people that touch my life daily with their many different ways of being exceptional.

Another Weekend

This weekend we did something that we are not much used to:  relaxing.  We woke up Saturday morning and Robert and I both felt like surely we must be missing something--forgetting about some meeting, kid's ball game, some service project or other responsibility, but there was nothing!  I cannot even remember the last time that happened.  And it felt glorious.  So we did leisurely Saturday chores with the kids, they went sledding, Robert worked on his Young Men's responsibilities, and I read up on my NEW CAMERA.  That's right.  My amazing and thoughtful husband surprised me with a new Nikon D7000 last week and I am in heaven.  The camera I previously had was never the same after getting wet on one of our trips.  The autofocus was always slightly off as well as the flash and so every singly photo I took for almost 2 years had to be manually sharpened to compensate.

As a matter of fact, the whole week was fairly relaxing because Ashton was sick which forced me to not be busy running errands and stay home with him.  It was actually really frustrating for me to stay home at first and not get my errands done, but it was also nice to take it easy with AshBear.  On Friday, he started feeling better so he and I walked to Farmington Pond to feed the ducks together.  The geese were as big as him and very aggressive, but he still seemed to enjoy himself.  It made me feel bad that I am frequently so busy that I forget to "smell the flowers" with my kids.

Friday night is usually the night Robert and I stay in because the kids always have various activities with their friends.  Christian goes from his after school swing club to hanging out with his large group of friends and we usually don't see him until his curfew at 10:30.  Madison and Hunter are usually busy playing night games with the neighborhood kids until 9pm.  So Robert and I grabbed takeout from Chipotle and rented "Captain America".  Saturday is usually our date night, but instead we opted to take all the kids with us to Crowne Burger.  I am very mindful of the fact that it is only a few more short years before Christian is off to college and a mission and so I very much enjoy having all of us together--even if there is some misery involved.

Highlights from the weekend with the kids:   The two youngest kids really want to see the new movie called "Puss in Boots." (which I refuse to see)  They both have a small plastic toy cat they got from McDonalds that's supposed to look like the one from the movie.  On Saturday I asked them what they were going to play together and Ashton happily replied, "I'm going to play with my PUSS!"  Oookkkaaayyyy…

Ashton was being particularly naughty during Sacrament meeting and I whispered to Robert, "Sometimes I just don't think his behavior is normal."  To which Robert replied, "You've said that about every one of our kids!"  Hahaha.  And then we both laughed because it is true!  At some point I have thought every one of my kids had some sort of behavioral or cognitive problem.  What's wrong with me?!

Christian got straight A's and he did it completely himself.  He studies from 4pm-11pm every day without any reminding, bribing, or help from us.  What a boy.

Madison got all A's and a B.  She has really had to work to overcome some learning hardships and so I was absolutely brimming with pride in her accomplishment.

Hunter spending so much time researching parakeets (he has 2 pet parakeets) and how to train them to talk and do tricks.  He loves them so much and is so tender with them.

Christian and I were eating lunch together and out of the blue he asked me, "Why didn't Joseph Smith just drink the alcohol when his leg was being operated on since it wasn't yet against the Word of Wisdom?  What's the difference between alcohol for pain and novocaine when getting dental work done if that's all they had?"  I love that my kids are starting to ask more thoughtful questions.  I told him that I had always wondered that myself.  I thought it was admirable that he would stick to his beliefs so strongly, even at such a young age and that it showed a lot of character, but I also thought he should have taken something for the pain for pete's sake!  And we both laughed.

Miss Madison got her hair trimmed and styled--so pretty

Pictures before church