Time Flies

No such thing as "extra" time, lol. Whew! So it's been nearly two full months since I have blogged or updated a website besides my son's (who's on a mission) and my in-law (also on a mission). HotStuff has been posting some on our family site, but I haven't even looked at it for ages - sigh.

Someone on the homeschool board decided I was the Chairman for homeschool graduation. I just kept reminding them that I'm the Co-Chair, "I only do the computer stuff!" And process all the registrations, and arrange the program, and field all the phone call of questions from graduates and their families... At last it's over. The program went well aside from our convocational speaker showing up 1/2 an hour late - we had to do some quick shuffling there. I think the graduates enjoyed it and the parents seemed to also. Next year Horseshoe will be graduating - how time flies!

We are taking care of two of my brother's kids for several days, so for the moment, I'm back to eight people at home. Crazy. Insane. Back to 6 kids... May I just say, "Kids take a lot of time! and energy!" It has been fun to have them and get to know them better, but I don't know how I would have managed this without my older kids pitching in so much. We've gone hiking, and swimming, and hiking, and shopping... Today it's raining - maybe they can go to a movie.

My car was totaled about a month ago. Junebug accidentally drove into a nasty, deep, gutter-ditch. Broke the axle, twitsted the frame, and deployed the airbags. No one was hurt, thankfully, but not having a car has definitely complicated life. We finally got it replaced yesterday - YEA! I have a car!!!

Tiny Habits and Their Far-Reaching Consequences

I spend a significant portion of my life making food-related decisions for my family. What do I need to buy at the store? What is for dinner? Do we have enough bread? Are we running out of breakfast foods? Do I need to take anything out of the freezer in order to make dinner? Do I need to make bread, rolls, crackers, pasta, dessert, or any other time-consuming item in order to be prepared to meet my family’s food needs? It has become my “default mode”. It makes me want to eat and it’s a very fattening default mode. My children are growing up and need less of my constant help and attention. I have some chunks of time some days where I suddenly realize that I have no one wanting or needing anything from me. Sure, I still need to be available to them, but they can manage much of their schoolwork and household jobs without a lot of help from me. I often find myself standing in the middle of the kitchen wondering what I’m supposed to be doing or making now when in reality the answer is – nothing. I’m trying to train myself to new “default modes”. I love to read but even that feels unproductive after a time so I am trying to focus on new creative outlets such as drawing, or writing, or playing the piano. I am enjoying these things, but I think I will need some reminder signs and more consistent menu planning to help me when I enter the kitchen and find myself standing there looking for something to busy myself with. I want better consequences from my personal “default mode” than what comes from always thinking about food.

My children have a “default mode” as well. Hmm. Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as a Pavlovian response when we wake them up in the morning. Without thought, they all stumble in to the living room and drop, in a semi-catatonic state, onto the sofas. There they sit like zombies until everyone is present and we force our eyes and mouths to read and sing, or rather croak, the words of a hymn or Primary song. Then we read from the scriptures for a little while, have family prayer and discuss upcoming events of the day. This half-asleep “default mode” has become one of our family’s greatest blessings. We have done this since our oldest was very young and no one today even thinks to argue or question it. Over time it has created a stronger family bond and interest in one another’s activities that would not be there otherwise. Our children know a great many Primary songs and hymns they otherwise would not, giving something good to fill their minds during the day when their brains go into “idle mode”. Collectively, we have read the Book of Mormon through several times and they understand the progression of the story line and the basic doctrines that are taught in it. Waking up in our home is a smoother, steadier process that is less likely to rile tempers or result in a last-minute rush as a result of over-sleeping. It’s not always easy to wake up and start the wheels rolling as a parent, but the results have been very worth it.

“People Who Buy Our Stuff Are More Likely to Get to Heaven”

This is the tone of some of the T.V. and radio commercials at General Conference time. They really bug me. I don’t mind being told about books or other products that may be of help to me in successfully navigating my way through life as a person or parent, but don’t tell me I actually need a particular product that you sell in order to do it. Some of these ads seem to build or prey on our sense of pride and try to create a “better than” attitude. Can the ad execs at these companies not see the flaws in what they are doing? Truly, these products may help me, but don’t imply that they are necessary to my salvation. Tell me what your product does and simply let me decide without all the clamor. “Stuffitis” strikes the Church. Ads like this help you understand why Christ drove the money-changers and others from the temple with such ferocity.

Vitamin D - The Happy Sunshine Vitamin

Well. I always thought people who paid good money to go to tanning salons fell into the category of "fools and their money are soon parted". This trip to San Diego with Hot Stuff really made me nervous though; I have skin that hasn't seen the sun in many, many years. I want to enjoy the trip, not spend it sick from sunburn. Sure sunscreen helps, but even that has it's limits when you are by the ocean all day. It seemed from past experience that one of my best defenses would be to have at least somewhat of a tan. Well, laying in the sun in March is a cold prospect where I live, so I decided to look up a local tanning salon.

Nervously, I went and talked to a person working at the salon. She explained how everything worked and I settled in to the tanning bed with the UV goggles and the radio playing "Some Beach, Somewhere". Ten minutes later the timer on the bed turned the lights off and I was "done". Turns out ten minutes were just a little too long, I was a little pink, but not terribly so. If I had it to do over, I'd have just done maybe 7 minutes the first time. Still, I felt soooo good afterward. Mentally lighter, more cheerful, and alive. One of the really wonderful side benefits I've noticed is that the eczema rash I've battled for the last 17 years is going away! I have learned that these things are benefits of having your skin make vitamin D (which I must have been chronically short on). I've been twice now and can easily see myself doing this for many happy times to come. Wow. Vitamin D. Who'd 'a thought?

Jon Schmidt is an Amazing Motivator for Teenage Pianists

Last night I took two of my kids, T-Rex and Bluejay, to a fund-raising concert at a local junior high school. It featured Jon Schmidt (pianist) and Steven Sharp Nelson (cellist). They were amazing. The facilities were not so great - not enough microphones or best sound system, and the piano was extraordinarily out of tune (cringe). Still, they moved along and made the best of it. Jon took requests from the kids (the audience was largely families), and he and Steve, with a great sense of humor, played and hammed it up together. We bought one of Jon's piano books and T-Rex and Bluejay were first in line afterward to have him sign it. Steve was really enjoyable on the cello too, I wish he'd had some CD's there for sale. This event wasn't very well advertised, and I think a little more planning would have made this a sold-out event. Jon is doing two concerts this weekend and they are both sold out. I know, I tried to get tickets. Jon has tons of free downloads on his website both teaching information as well as sheet music and MP3 files. Check it out.

Learning to See and Draw

I'm almost starting to feel like an artist. I ordered a "Learn to Draw" homestudy set from Mission: Renaisance. This is an amazing program. The lessons are broken into small baby-steps that make the learning fast and easy. I can hardly believe the progress I am making already and I've only had the program since March 6th! I finally have hope that someday I will have the skill to set free some of the drawings and paintings I have inside me. This world is a grand place and there is a marvelous hope and potential for all of us. These are things I long to express visually. I may never be famous to anyone outside my family, but if I can use my talent to help their world be a better place, that suits me just fine.

With Hot Stuff in Asia for the next 10 days, I should have plenty of opportunities to work on my drawing and avoid culinary temptation (meaning restaurants on dates with DH). I'm going to be positively svelte by the time we go to San Diego (where I will get to navigate a whole mine-field of restraunts - yikes!). Good thing the hotel room has a kitchen. At least I will be able to cook some vegetables there.

The Hunt for a Piano Teacher Begins - Again

I am in the beginning stages of the hunt for an "advanced" piano teacher for my daughter, Bluejay. Her teacher has said she won't be useful to Bluejay for much longer and we need to find someone new. This is easier said than done. This girl hates to be pushed but will work her tail off as long as there is someone alongside her to just give her tips, help, and pointers. Push her and she'll walk away so fast you'll wonder if she was ever really there. So I need to find someone who can help guide her and entice her rather than push, pull, drag her along, or hold her back. Sounds like I have my work cut out... I wonder who taught William Joseph? (JK - don't think I could drive that far)