Questions I Answered Today

Q: I think it stopped raining, do you want to go for a walk?
A: No, it's cold and wet out there!

Q: Are you ready to go for a walk yet? I'll get your shoes.
A: I think it's still raining.

Q: Can you take me now, Mom?
A: (Nonchalantly) Sure honey. (Especially since you're going to do something really hard that you don't want to do, but know you really should. I'm so proud!!)

Q: Can you wait a minute? I'll take you out to lunch.
A: Okay, that would be nice. (Yes!! I didn't get the house cleaned yet, but it's okay, no one's coming over.)

After lunch

Q: Can I stop by in 10 minutes?
A: Sure! (Silently cringing as I look around my house. Thank goodness I've got amazing kids who can pick up the front room in 8.25 minutes)

Q: Do you work?
A: (I never know how to answer this one. Guess I'll go with. . .) Well, I homeschool my kids.

Q: Are you ready to go for a walk yet? It quit raining.
A: Okay, fine. Will you get the umbrella?

Q: See, isn't walking in the rain invigorating?
A: Well, I love being with you honey. (But, no I wouldn't use the word invigorating.)

While discussing potential treats for Primary teachers . . .

Q: Do you put frosting on them?
A: No they're fine without (But isn't everything better with frosting?! I really, really wish I had a batch of cream cheese frosting whipped up.)

Plus, a few I answered with "Um . . ."

Q: Mom, will you get me a field sparrow?

Q: Do we have birthday presents for [list of 6 family members with March birthdays]?

Q: Do we have any rubbing alcohol?

Q: Do you have to be 18 to buy spray paint?

Q: Will you google "where to buy a field sparrow"?

Q: Don't you think I'm old enough to be trusted with a BB gun?

Q: So you really don't like walking in the rain?

Thought you should know

Today I . . .

• didn't take a shower
• read the intro to the Book of Mormon
  
• ate Marianne's homemade chocolate peanut butter chip cookies for breakfast
• wore my sweats all day
• read some great family history stories with my daughter
• talked to my sister on the phone
• simplified fractions
• insisted that 17 minutes of piano practice was not enough
  
• watched Friendly Persuasion
• made everyone laugh because I kept warning them about the sad ending that never came
• realized I was thinking of Shenandoah
• folded towels
• discussed BYU registration with Aaron
  
• got a new (used) book in the mail
• lifted weights
• read a great article about Facebook
  
• heated up leftovers for dinner
• enjoyed some of Aaron's photos

Time to Write

Evan is finishing up his Faith in God award. He's got the Articles of Faith memorized; he's finished all of his goals. He's only got one things left to do: write his testimony!

And it's got me thinking . . . . and asking myself a question.

When was the last time you wrote down your testimony?

Until recently, my answer would have been, "Ummm, well. . . . maybe I wrote something when I did my Personal Progress in YW?"

And yet I love reading the personal testimonies of my family members. The few I have are real treasures. Maybe it's time to re-read a few of those testimonies, or even better--write one!

Why read?

Why read the scriptures to the kids? They don't really understand and they're not listening anyway!

“Some may think that the language of the scriptures is too difficult for children, but … [w]e need to remember that the Lord has given children faculties for learning language even greater than those of adults."

"The scriptures can be a complete education, as has been shown by those in the past who truly educated themselves from the scriptures when they had no other education. But all of us can get something if we will be read the scriptures. And, indeed, by reading the scriptures thoroughly, we can get a better education than we can in any other way."

Why do I have to read my kids the same books over and over? It's driving me crazy!

“It is good for children to hear their favorite passages of scripture, and their other favorite stories, too, over and over. We should not bring up our children to respond to the exciting, the thrilling. They are a titillation of the nerves. To be moved is one thing; to be excited or titillated, a very different thing. If we bring up our children always to be wanting something new, they will have to have a stronger [and stronger] stimulus each time until they finally [burst]. But if we inure our children to stability, to repetition, to normal life, then they will live decent lives”

Questions by Melanie

Answers by Arthur Henry King who would have turned 100 years old today. He's one of my heroes and he wrote this awesome book.

Three More Letters

This time the letters are:

T A O

Don't worry. I'm not going to launch into an explanation of Chinese philosophy, although I did enjoy that East Asian Religion class I took in college.

For John's birthday, he invited our extended family to see "some Japanese taiko drummers". The group was called "TAO". We all went because it was his birthday and as a former missionary in Japan, we know he loves all things Japanese.

But really, how exciting could Japanese drummers be?

We were expecting something like this:

Instead, we got rock stars on a world tour:

Watching this wild, explosive performance was amazing.
It definitely made you want to go work out.

Who knew that TAO could be so cool?

Apparently John did.
Happy Birthday my love!

Three Letters

My Dad taught me to read the summer before I started kindergarten. He made me flashcards with three letter words: bat, cat, sat, mat, hat or pan, ran, can. Then on to "mom", "dad" and even "the". That one was harder because you couldn't sound it out! Reading those three letter words brought a lot of excitement to my Dad and me.

Tuesday, February 16th was John's birthday--an exciting day in itself. But it was made even more exciting because of three letters.

I got a call from Aaron that afternoon while John and I were driving home. Aaron is a quiet, easy-going type of guy. He doesn't get worked up over anything. Thank goodness for caller id, because I'm not sure I would have recognized the jubilant voice on the phone.

"Mom!!!!" he yelled, "I got into BYU!!"

"Could you repeat that?" I asked, quickly turning on the speaker so that John could hear.

With an even louder voice he hollered, "I said, I GOT INTO BYU PROVO!!!!!!"

We gave him our quick congratulations before he had to go. He needed to call and text his friends of course, not to mention updating his Facebook status. But we got the first call!

Those three letters, B-Y-U really made our day. John said it was his favorite birthday present.


He starts school in June, so I've only got my boy at home for four more months. Sniff.

Evan on the other hand is already hard at work on plans for how to reorganize his very OWN room!

Timing is Everything!

I took a break from blogging because it was the right thing to do. I got that message loud and clear.

But lately, I've sensed that my blogging hiatus was coming to an end. I've been waiting for the right time. Today is the right time to begin again. I love new beginnings . . .

• starting the first page of a brand new book
• opening a well-loved book to read one more time
• a newborn baby
• springtime
• forgiveness
• sunrise
• starting a project
• a fresh, clean calendar for the new year
• resurrection
• waiting for the curtain to open
• the first note of a beautiful song
• opening exercises in Primary
• Sunbeams
• getting out the Christmas tree
• walking or hiking in the early morning
• the quiet of waking up before anyone else
• repentance
• opening a card from a friend
• freshly brushed teeth
• getting my hair cut
• a pedicure
• a new school year
  
• birthdays
  
• a new idea or epiphany

Welcome back to Happy Hartz! What's your favorite new beginning?