Thanksgiving 2017

We spent Thanksgiving in Mapleton. We went down tha morning and came back the next night. Those in attendance: My parents, Mike/Sarah and kids, Dave/Becca and kids, the Cannons, the Stokers, Tristan, and obviously our family. We had over thirty people there. It was great to see others and I'm grateful people were about to make it. We don't get to see those from out of the state very often - so it was nice to have Cyndi's family and Nicole/Danny there. Nicole is pregnant with their first - fun to be excited with them about that. Baby boy is due in February 2018.
I had some issues with the menu because of my missing Layne. Odd how things came about this year with not having Layne around. I'm going to write more about that on my Widow's Might blog.
We had beautiful weather. It was around 60 degrees (F) during the day. There was a little breeze. It wasn't exactly hot - but, definitely seemed warm/nice for the end of November around these parts.

Missing The Point

I took the van in for an oil change today. I talked with the guy about what the service will look like - you know...the time when they try to sell you stuff and have you commit to every service possible. Anyway, I said no to several things and I didn't feel like he was a big fan - but, that's the way it goes. 

As I was speaking with him later...he asked what book I was reading and when I answered he started telling me about his girlfriend and how she reads all the time. How even when they're in bed for the night...she's reading, he asks for attention, is told - "I'm reading"...he told me of his frustration. I feigned interest. He already had someone that was ignoring him - the least I could do was give a listening ear to a stranger that was taking care of my transaction at the same time (read: taking my money:}). I wanted to tell him that the problem isn't that she's reading...it's the fact that she's ignoring him that's the problem. It's a relationship thing. Ask her if you've done something that bothered her. Ask her what you can do to make the relationship better. THAT will get her one step closer to not reading (according to him) 'all the time'. It's not rocket science. I hope he figures it out sooner rather than later. 

Disclaimer: I am not against reading. I love reading. I probably do too much of it myself. Although, the only thing I'm losing is sleep. My partner isn't around to ask for attention. If he were - well...where's my bookmark?:}

Travel Log 2017

We've done a little bit of traveling this past year. We went to Arizona in March for Grandpa Williams funeral. We stopped by a rest stop that bridged over the Colorado River. In the middle of April we left for a trip back east...returning the first week of May. We took some time going up the coast and seeing sites. We then took a small trip up to Idaho Falls to participate in the temple open house and see some good friends. I then went to a reunion with my family where we stayed at a beach house in Oceanside, CA for a few days...taking in La Jolla and San Diego while there. We'll be heading out to Zion this coming week-end to camp with some relatives. After that we will be home for a bit with all the other things going on this summer. The kids will have camps, Bishop's Youth Retreat, and EFY. Rachel and I will figure out something to do while they're gone.:} We'd like to fit in a trip to the Ranch (in Panguitch) and a showing of Newsies at Tuacahn later in the summer...possibly early fall. We'll be up in Idaho again in early October. The next multi day trip I'd like to fit in is up to Mount Rushmore. I'm not sure when that will happen.
I've been working on putting a travel web site together. It's not going very well. At some point, I'm going to try have all the above trips on there. After that, we'll see where the road takes us.

Heading East

Trying to put together a travel site and post about our trip. We're going to be taking our van all the way to North Carolina and then up the coast. We'll get up to Maine and then start heading west again. We're giving ourselves three weeks...returning the first week of May. So many adventures to be had along the way! We'll also have a chance to see relatives in Texas...Dallas area...and others in the DC area.

The boys are sledding this morning. Jacob drove several friends in our van. I'm hoping for the best. A group of kids, snowy conditions, a driver than was just barely allowed to drive friends in the vehicle. I think it'll be okay. If I had serious concerns, I would have helped them figure out a different solution. He typically does pretty well. So, we'll see how it goes.
The girls are here with me. We're having a quiet day at home. Those are my favorite kind when it feels like a wintery day outside.

A Song and A Search

The other day I was listening to this. It's by Peter Hollins and friends.

Jonny came and listened with me. He started asking questions. He looked this guy up on Wikipedia. We both learned some things that we didn't know. I was also reminded of a couple of things that I thought I'd forgotten. We continued the discussion with politics and politicians now. We both have a great respect for the Founding Fathers and their ability to focus on their objectives. They didn't always agree. But, I believe respectful and meaningful discussions happened. They worked together - even though they might not have agreed. There was a willingness to come up with the basis for a country where all could agree. It wasn't a perfect scenario - but, it does seem better than what we have now.

It's That Time

It's that time of year again. We're moving into Fall. It's nice to think of the weather being a bit cooler. It's also that time of year when others talk about starting school. It's nice to not have to worry about changing our schedule in order to rush everyone out the door in the morning...or deal with the afternoon/evening routine.

I still look forward to starting new routines. We need them after a summer full of camps, reunions, and adventures. I do better with routines - this summer felt like getting the kids ready for one event after another. I'm hoping that getting back to the routines will help us a bit. We'll see. I just want some down time. We homeschool - but, still feel the effect of the changing of the seasons.

Learning Outside The Box

The girls and I watched this video the other day. Rachel exclaimed, "Hey, that's that one place.". Megan chimed in with, "Ya, where they have the presidents.". We continued the conversation. We talked about how it was a cool place and they would love to go there. We talked about where it was and how far away it was from our house. As we spoke, it was clear to me that they know about Mount Rushmore. (I linked it just in case you'd like to learn more too.)
It's interesting to me that there are people who think homeschool kids don't learn much or don't really know anything because they're not in a classroom. There are so many other ways to learn. Something as simple as a song can lead to conversations about national monuments, geography, US Presidents, and history.
Not too long ago our sons were talking with some of their friends about homeschool. One of the kids (teenagers) asked if Jacob knew about Einstein. I'm guessing he had a confused look on his face - not because he didn't know who he was - but, because he couldn't figure out why a teen in a first world country wouldn't be familiar with the man and at least some of his work. I told him that he should have asked his friend about Tesla. It may or may not have stumped the kid.
I'm so thankful we live in a country where we're able to be a homeschool family. There is so much to be grateful for - freedoms that I don't ever want to take for granted. I started this post trying to share a patriotic song for the 4th of July and then went to a different topic. I guess things in my head connect - just not always immediately. I truly am grateful for a season we've had to learn together. What a great country we live to have the opportunity to experience life together.

Leaving For Camp

Megan just left for Brighton Camp. It's the first time she's ever headed out for a week by herself. I know she'll be taken care of and have a good time. But, it's still hard to see her go. I have missed the boys when they've gone too. There's just something about that first time. And, it only gets a little bit easier with each occurrence. I always miss them and wonder how they're doing. We'll see how I end up doing with Megan being gone for a week. I'm looking forward to hearing all about her adventures when she gets back.
We didn't have a camera to send with her. I think one of her friends has one - so at least there's a possibility we could end up with a couple. I'm one of those people that takes pictures as part of the experience. So, I usually feel like part of the puzzle is missing if there are no pictures. Although, the boys have never taken one either. I don't have any pictures of any of their Scout Camp or EFY experiences. That's a little unheard of with all the technology that's out there these days.
The boys leave in a couple of days for their scouting adventure of the summer. They're heading for Lake Powell...better make sure they have a swim suit.:}

Rainbow Captain America

Today Jonny noticed a picture on Instagram. Someone had shared a picture they had drawn of Captain America. They changed part of the red/white/blue stripes for a rainbow. He thought it was kind of cool. I asked if he knew why they might have thought to draw it that way. He responded that he did. I asked, "Because of Orlando?". He nodded. We've already had at least one conversation about that so we continued with the current topic. He mentioned the comments he saw in response to the drawing. I asked about them. Did people not like the idea of changing Captain America? Were there comments about gays? He said it was mostly "mean stuff about gay people". We talked some more. The comments made him angry. He knew things were being said that were mean and hurtful - unnecessary words.
I remember stating some of my own thoughts and feelings. I didn't think it was right either. It's okay if people are different than we are...we still get the opportunity to friendly and be kind. We can choose love. There are so many families and other loved ones hurting right now that it should be a time of pulling together and showing support instead of spewing hate. (I'm not sure I used the word spewing at the time...but, it fits.)
I was grateful for several things in that moment. I am still grateful for them. I have a son that recognizes when hurtful and hateful things are being said. I have a child that doesn't like those things being said. I have children that I can have conversations with every day where I get to share my ideas/thoughts/feelings - and just as important I get to hear the same from them. These are conversations - not lectures. I'm thankful for a son that has a big heart and has a desire to include everyone.
My daughters were there too. They have also now heard - again - my thoughts and feelings about showing love and being kind. I'm sure there will be future conversations with all of them.

Blogger App

I just discovered the Blogger app. Pretty excited! Now it'll be easier to blog using my phone. At least that's the idea.

March Madness

Our weather is fickle. Today I remembered a conversation that I had a year or two ago with a mother of young kids. It was around this time of year. She had commented that her kids were cold because she had already packed up their winter clothing. I would have made a comment about it being her first year here in the area - but, from previous conversations, I knew that wasn't the case.
The reason I was reminded of that as I walked out the door this morning was because today was cooler than it has been the last few days. It was also overcast and wet - bringing snow by the end of the day. Someone new to the area might not have guessed that the weather would do that. Someone that's been around for a bit - knows that it happens every year. It starts to warm up and then we have a couple of cool days...and then it switches around again. It's usually pretty safe to put winter gear away by the time Mother's Day comes around. Okay. Maybe all of the gear doesn't need to stay out - but, at least a jacket and some long sleeves. It's a little deceiving...but, we will never have summer weather during all of March. It's just how it goes around here.

Deep Down

I've been thinking about why I have a hard time getting things done. What would it really be like if I could be productive and live up to the potential that I have. I don't know what the issues would be. Am I afraid to make a difference? Am I concerned about being responsible for more? Do I have issues with being productive - maybe if I am than there's more of a possibility of failing. Meaning...if I try I could fail. Hmm...something to think about. I want to figure things out so I can move forward. I don't like feeling like I'm not someone that gets much done. I've been doing it for years. I've been mostly consistent with getting the basics done. Well, I guess it depends on what one considers as the basics. Anyway. That's what I'm trying to figure out right now. I need to get to the real insights about why I do (or don't do) the things I do.

Broken Vehicle

Our family was given some remote control vehicles for Christmas. The kids tested them out today. The truck is currently recharging. The car - the charger broke off while they were attempting to plug it in (or take the plug out) earlier today. Whatever happened, it doesn't seem like it should be broken after one use. I'm thinking it was just regular use. When I found out about it - it just seems like how our lives are these days. Things just seems to get broken around here. I feel like I'm not up for all of the breaking and fixing. Ugg. Maybe I'll contact the company and see if anything can be done.

Dishwasher. Again.

Today we did another dishwasher assessment. Yep. It's true. It's not working. I mentioned that I fell over it. A couple of weeks later, a plastic lid fell down to the bottom and part of it melted on the element. I don't know if a combination of the two have affected its effectiveness - but, it's not working. The plastic glasses have a greasy film on the outside of them that makes me think the water isn't hot enough. I know it's not the water heater. Time to move forward.

Play Your Part

I have heard this before, but this time when I listened to this I just started crying. It says that 'everyone plays a part'. I don't know what my part is right now. I feel like I've been trying to figure that out for pretty much my whole life. I don't know how my Heavenly Parents expect me to use my gifts. I guess I should figure out what they are first. I would love to have some kind of life mission...the kind where I actually make a difference and help others. I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job right now.
I've been trying to figure out what to do even more so lately. I know I need to figure out something that will work for an income. But, the pieces haven't come together yet. I feel like there are things I've been prompted to do - a little at a time. But, I'm not sure it's enough. There are times when I feel like I am not enough. I'm not able to get enough done during the day. I'm not doing enough for my kids. Things like that. I'm hoping that someday I'll have the answers and feel like my contribution is enough.
This is called Glorious (from the Meet the Mormons movie) sung by David Archuleta

Dishwasher

So...this blog is mostly about the everyday stuff. I have been thinking lately about appliances. We just go a new water heater. I just realized I haven't written about that yet. So, I might write more about that later. I think our next goal will be a dishwasher. The one we have now was here when we came. I don't know how old it is. But, it's about time to retire it. It's had some issues for a little bit. I don't think it helped that I tripped over - I should say fell over it. It's been going downhill ever since. There are times I'll notice water on the top ledge of the dishwasher. I think it might be condensation from the steam that settles on it. I'm pretty sure it does that because it doesn't really seem to close tightly. It seals. Mostly. It's not like water is leaking out the sides. It just doesn't seem to have a seamless fit. Another clue is that the dishes the last few days have been a little questionable. The kids are even sending things back through because they don't seem to be clean enough the first time. I think part of that is that dishes could be rinsed off a little better. But, at the same time. Dishes that aren't completely clean when the cycle is through have been a thing. I think we're just going to take the plunge. Time to start researching.

Home Teachers

We had a Home Teaching visit today. It was great. I'm glad I asked to be assigned Home Teachers. We haven't had them for a long time. Jonny is his companion so it works out well. He's the one that gave the lesson. Thanks for coming A.S. - and thanks to your wife E. for lending you to us this afternoon. I already feel like it's going to make a difference.

Lifelong Learning

Response to a post in LDS Homeschoolers:

(I think)

We don't do official school time. I've found that unschooling is what resonates the most with me/us. The kids choose what they're going to do, when, and how. I'm here to support and help with resources. My teens currently go to seminary...M-Th, 7:am. Our younger ones are involved with a co-op right now. And one will be starting a sewing class soon. The teens also did debate this past fall. There are times we do things like what I just mentioned and there have been times when we haven't - it depends on what they're interested in and willing to commit to doing. They get what they need. I think it's more important to focus on knowing who they are and figuring out their purpose here on earth. I don't think a random amount of 'academics' each day does that for them. It's hard at first - but, if they are trusted to learn what they need to - they will.

I love that they make choices. I feel like my teens have a much better grasp on setting goals, being productive, and work ethic than they might have if they had just been sitting in class. I think those are all good skills to have for future employment. (We have had people comment about how our boys are so willing to help - they think to offer and work until the job is done when they do. Learning those kinds of life lessons can't be forced.)

I mentioned that they learn what they need to and didn't give examples. I just chuckled a little as I remembered that our boys (the teenagers at our house) made sure they had a 'Christmas Break'. They didn't have seminary for a couple of weeks. But, during the rest of the day they were still learning. They made a big deal about it and the next thing they did was watch an historical documentary. They also watched some YouTube videos that were informational. I noticed our oldest was doing math when I came into the kitchen to make dinner that night. He felt like he needed a review. He searched online, grabbed a paper and pencil, and was doing some practice problems. (This is the guy that - on his own went through a math book he found on our shelves last year - basic math, algebra, and geometry all in one. He came home from seminary and worked on math for a few minutes each day. He just felt like he needed to know how to do math - so, he did it.) During the 'break' one of them made monthly goals for the upcoming year with what he was going to work on with his art. (He's really good. It's a big thing for him. I can see it being a career option for him.) It was funny to me that those were the kind of things they were doing during their 'break'.

I also love that all of our kids have initiated conversations about learning how to learn and lifelong learning. They have all approached me about things they want to know more about, projects they think would be cool, and things that interest them. I consider those things important in their development. I've also discovered that my role is so much easier when I take the lead from them.

My husband had some issues at first. I think a big factor is that those of us who grew up going to public school have a certain way that we consider 'learning' to be. I don't know if that's what you guys 'discuss'. But, it was something we worked through. I think once he realized that the kids were reaching their potential in a different way he was more on board with it.:} There's also a workshop that someone is doing with some homeschool dads. I could try to find the info if it would be helpful for your husband to talk with some other dads that are already doing the homeschooling thing with their families.

Wow. I guess I should have just done a blog post instead. Sorry about the novel. Good luck.

Winter Co-Op

The girls started their co-op today. They were happy and excited to share what they had been doing when I went to pick them up. I'm glad they have the opportunity. I love that they have a 'thing' each week. I'm so very grateful for everyone that has helped to put things together. I think this time around it's pretty much just Emily. Kudos to her for teaching the kids and doing it so well. I'm personally grateful she switched from a public school classroom to doing this. Yea for homeschool.
One of the things they did today was finger knitting. We'll have to try it at home.