Thursday, December 29, 2011

Service Project

This actually happened before Christmas, and I started to write about it.  I now have two seconds to finish it, but it's worth posting, so...

My mom calls me today and asks if she can borrow the kids for a service project.  I think, "Yes!  This is a fabulous idea!" and I enthusiatically commit their evening for them.  She tells me they need work gloves, rakes, etc... and that she will pick the kids up at 4:30.  They are going to help a lady that she visiting teaches who could use a hand...Hey, who cares?  If it:

1)  Gets them outside and working
2)  Gives them a service opportunity, and
3)  Takes them off my hands for a couple of hours

GREAT!!!


So, at 4:30 they show up and I am agressively "assisting" my oldest 5 with coats and gloves and my parents say, "Let's have a prayer before we go!" 

Uh, OK.  I guess this is a teaching moment?  Whatever. 

So as we're gathering Grandma gives the whole "We're proud of you and your willingness to serve; and we'll all be happy and blessed" pep talk.  (Assuming, of course that my little angels just jumped at the chance to do unpaid manual labor--yup.)


Then she offers a lovely prayer thanking the Lord for this service opportunity and asking that the sweet sister that they're about to serve will feel their love for her and God's love for her and will be blessed.

Wow.  Now we're all in the right spirit, and Grandma and Grandpa start talking about this lady we're gonna serve and how she is always serving others and could maybe use a little help; and again I'm shoving them out the door because I'm trying to wrap some presents; and the house is trashed because of the excessive kid-party we had yesterday and, (let's face it), simply because it's Christmas vacation and we're slobs; and maybe I'll get something done, so--Go!  See ya!  Work hard!

Then Mom turns to me and smiles and says, "The woman we're actually serving is your mother."  Let's get to work!

Then they proceeded to clean the house and the yard for the next hour or two.  Also, they brought pizza. 

NO WAY!!!

I was able to get my stuff done, and the house was clean, and the yard looked awesome, and I didn't even have to cook dinner!


Hot Dang!  Best night ever.  Plus, I just kept making discoveries all week, like my microwave and stove were shiny-clean. 


I felt so grateful and so LOVED!

Thanks, people!

Monday, December 19, 2011

The Bible


About four years ago, I set a goal to REALLY study the bible (King James Version); searching out meanings when I was unsure, and reading notes and commentary and supplementary books to increase my understanding.  I completed my goal tonight.  (Well...I have gone cover to cover, but now I only know that I know nothing.  I'm still standing under Niagra Falls trying to get a sip.)

I have learned that EVERYTHING written in the Old and New Testaments was placed there to lead us to Christ and to testify of his Atonement.

 I am overcome by His great love for me!  What a miracle that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind can be saved!  I love him!  I want to follow him!  I want to be a witness of God, and to help others to find the peace and joy that only come from Him. 

I am so thankful for the many, many, MANY that have sacrificed so that I might study these words. 

How amazing that I can have such easy access to the word of God!  I can't believe the time and insights and inspiration that has gone into the footnotes and definitions and commentaries.  I can't imagine the anguish experienced by the early saints who gave their lives to share the good news.

 And people like Martin Luther who struggled to bring forth truth when all was against him.   I'm so thankful for modern revelation and the clarity and understanding that it provides!  I'm grateful to know that when I don't understand, that I can ask and seek and the Holy Ghost will help me to find.

And, OK, I get it; there is no "finished".  I'm gonna have to start all over and read it again and again, and each time I'll wonder where the heck I've been, and why I've never noticed _______ before.  I'm a kid coming home from Kindergarten impressed with my own learning.  There is more!!!  Unbelievable.

Most of all, I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. I know He lives! He is the only Way! I know that God lives and loves me and will never leave me. Christ will come again!

Friday, December 9, 2011

2011 Recap Part 2

OK.  Here's the final installation of our year in review.  Has the potential for boring, so skip it if you wish.  (The last two posts were maybe more entertaining.)

Mr. Lamadingdong landed such an AWESOME teacher this year.  He's been memorizing all kinds of things like the preamble to the constitution, the Gettysburg Address, etc...He continues to work hard in spelling and is getting really good at it.  Talk about a weakness becoming a strength! 
He started Boy Scouts, so here we go again!  (Secretly, I love it!)


This kid's name is very special (his real name) and we have talked a lot about why he received the name he has.  We gave him to the Lord when he was a baby, just as another scriptural son was dedicated to God, and his first name reflects that.  His middle name can remind him of a mighty man who gave himself to the Lord, and this has been a theme for 2011.  He's taking his life seriously, and has been studying and praying on his own. 
Some of his church leaders challenged him with a pledge that he can choose to sign when he's 12.  We talk about it a lot.

"As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I will discover the "Divine Power" within myself and:
Honor women, girls and children,
Magnify the Aaronic Priesthood,
Become an Eagle Scout,
Fulfill my Duty to God,
Graduate from High School and Seminary,
Receive the Melchizedek Priesthood,
Receive temple ordinances, and
Serve a full-time mission."

What inspired leaders!  He's thought a lot about what each one of these would entail and is taking the commitment seriously and hasn't signed it yet.

Football is still huge for all the guys at our house.  They spend a lot of time looking at scores and discussing teams and strategies and watching games.  That's about the only thing he and Mr. Cool share--the rest of the time it's like oil and water, or dynamite and a blow torch...
He's also big-time into board games, Monopoly is his favorite.  (Grandpa calls it Monotony.)

Mr. L likes to process things and rarely stops on a dime.  Once I figured this out, our relationship has gotten a lot better.  I need to ask him to do something and then count in my head to about 10.  THEN if he doesn't respond, I can take it up a notch.    In my mind I used to accuse him of trying to annoy me and others, but I really think it just takes him a minute to process.  He's such a sweet boy; I need to always give my family the benefit of the doubt.

The Princess had a very fun summer.  She's got some fun friends who are in and out of the house all the time.  Her baptism was quite well attended, and our inspired bishop called her up at the very end and asked her to stand on a chair.  He then asked her to look out at all the people that had come just for her, who loved her and supported her.  She also knew that there were some who were ill and couldn't come, etc...The bishop pointed out to her that she had a lot of people who care about her and will help her to keep her covenants, choose the right and be happy.

Then Princess got put into a 3rd/4th grade classroom with a great teacher and some snotty little girls.  They made her life miserable for a few months until we got things worked out, but by then Princess had decided that she would just rather stay home every day.  She has become the queen of hypochondria--everything from a sore throat, a sore toe, to feeling too crowded--I tease her that she has a bone in her leg.  When she denies that that is the problem, I ask her how she walks without any leg-bones. 

Princess spent a very creative month or two contriving to stay home every morning, and even calling me from school.  I finally took her to the doctor.  It took a higher authority to convince her that she HAS to go to school every day.  She is learning to like it again, and her inspired teacher has introduced some music and acting to the class which has thrilled her to no end. 

I still read to her each night.  We're plowing through the Caroline Years of a Little House series right now, and I love the books at least as much as she does.  This is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the whole bed-time routine.

Now, I know that I am doing a year-end review of each family member, but it's my blog and I can do whatever I want, so I feel moved to register a complaint at this juncture. 
We start with scriptures and prayer about 7:30 p.m. From that point on, my night is dedicated solely to BEDTIME, yet the last person often doesn't straggle in to kiss me goodnight until 11:30 or even midnight.  Then, the Handsome Prince, who takes the early morning shift, starts the whole get-up-and-get-ready-for-the-day routine about 6:30 a.m.  It often takes me until at least 10:30 to complete the task with the little girls.  This means that at least 8 hours of each day is spent just getting people ready for bed or out of bed and ready for the day.  Sheesh!

Little P

She learned how to ride a two-wheeler this fall, and is also getting really good on the roller-blades.  Little P can climb just about anything, and has scaled the lamp-post outside, several trees, and can climb the door-frame of the house to the top unassisted. 

She continues to hold the world record for tantrums, and is really packed with a punch.  The only way to end a tantrum is to distract her in a subtle way.  This kid CAN stop on a dime, and usually does--the tantrums don't taper off, they just end.  She turns it on, she turns it off.  Stinker.

Little K continues to provide comic relief.  She says or does something funny every day.  Today she came to me with a paper and pen so I could write a letter to Santa.  She asked for a sled and some skiis.

Yesterday when I returned from volunteering at the school, she asked me if she had been in charge while I was gone.  (She LOVES being in charge!)

Little K is the supreme helper in the family.  She helps with laundry and dishes and especially baking. 

Every afternoon after we get Little P off to kindergarten, I put the caboose down for a nap and turn on a movie for K (then I clock out for an hour).  It started out the Backyardigans or Barney, but one day she declared that they were stupid baby movies and asked for Phineas and Ferb.  I think big kids influenced this one.  Anyway, every single day she wants to watch a show with an apple cut up into slices and put in a bowl.  It rarely varies, and if we're out of apples I'm in trouble.

She has a couple of cute little friends and has been known to be a little bossy.  The cutest little guy next door sometimes provokes her and they have had knock-out-slam-down fights.   She is P's shadow and is quite interested in spelling and reading right now.  They play together in a super-cute way.

The Caboose has perfected the arts of climbing and naughty.  She can now climb a stool to the stove and access the microwave, climb the toilet to the counter and use the sink, and she was scaling the crib to the top of the dresser until I one-upped her and lowered the mattress almost to the floor.   I have to use a stool to get her in and out.   (HA!  We call it monkey-prison!  FYI:  Little P can escape monkey prison if she is sufficiently furious.  Sigh.)

Caboose now wears a onesie under all her clothes, as she was a little too free and easy about her diaper and its contents.  Eeewwww...

Family Home Evening is her favorite thing ever, and it's so fun to watch her spin around as we sing. We bought her a circle of bells and she rings them as we sing, "Jingle Bells". The Christmas Tree lights are and endless souce of fascination.

If it's organized, she can be depended on to fix that; if it is clean, she'll tackle it, no job is too big or too small.  She does help sometimes, though, and can put things in the trash, down the laundry chute, or into the dryer.  She is just so proud of herself when she's helping.  She also loves to help with baking.

Kid is an amazing snuggler and it just feels so right holding her in my arms.  I mourn each stage as she leaves it, yet the sigh in relief at the same time.  I think being a grandma will be funner in some ways, but won't be the same...

All I know is that this new season in my life is a good one.  I used to hear women say they were done having kids and Hallelujah!  And I felt dismayed.  How could someone feel that way?  Well, now I completely understand--in fact, last night I dreamed that I was pregnant again, and I spent the entire night feeling sorry for myself. 

We've settled into our new home and community and feel so blessed to be here!  We love the Savior!  What a blessing to know that we have been bought with a price and that He loves us with a perfect love!

We have a good income, beautiful home and yard, kind neighbors, peace, safety, enough to eat and what we want and need.  We've been blessed with a huge, loving family and amazing friends.  It was a beautiful, blessed, exhausting 2011!

My Favorite Things

Some idiot decide that the cute Sound of Music song, "My Favorite Things" was a Christmas song. Then another idiot felt that it could somehow be improved (REALLY?  You're gonna do it better than Julie Andrews?) and that  is the rendition our local radio station used to play, along with an amazing amount of Felice Navidad and that stupid song where the sad, sorry guy bumps into an old lover and they drink in his car and nearly have an affair and somehow this makes us think about the Savior of the World and his upcoming birthday?  Huh.  I don't miss that radio station.  I like this new one where it seems to be OK to be Chrisian on Christmas with Kenny Rogers and "Mary Did You Know" and the MoTabs. 

There was a point to all of this ranting, and I'm getting there.  I was thinking about my favorite things, and here is a partial list, in no particular order:

1.  Crawling back into bed in the middle of the night, knowing that everyone is asleep and all is well.  Then Handsome Prince rolls over to snuggle and he is so strong and nice and I know the HE IS SUCH A GOOD MAN and mine forever!

2.  Being able to comfort a small baby, and the feeling of baby melting into me and how soft and sweet-smelling, and I know that little person with such an intimate knowing.  Heaven is so close!

3.  The feeling of catching a teaching moment and knowing exactly what to say. 

4.  The high of finding a really good sale and triumphantly getting off with the goods.

5.  Having the perfect words arrange themselves before me as I try to place my thoughts.

6.  The feeling that God has used me to bless someone else. 

7.  Having a teen confide in me and listen to my counsel.

8.  The feeling of swinging in a hammock.

9.  A really satisfying book.

10.  Hiding with chocolate.

11.  A hot bath with a good book and some ice cream or cold chocolate.

12.  Sunshine.

13.  Writing and knowing that someone was touched by my words.

14.  Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus"

15.  Salty, savory food.

16.  Clean and order and quiet.

17.  The feeling that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do and that He is near.

18.  Large joyful crowds and amusement parks.

19.  Talking in front of a group when I have profound things to say.  (Most of you reading this won't be surprise to know that I often consider myself quite profound and I greatly enjoy hearing my own lips flap. )

20.  Laughter.


Just for fun, a few things I hate:
1.  Static
2. Sticky
3.  Unkindness
4.  Evil
5.  Hearing my name over and over and over from many sources--everyone needing me at once.
6.  Tattling
7.  Exhaustion
8.  Migraines
9.  Failure/criticism
10.  Offending others
11.  Guilt--I maybe choose the wrong profession for that one
12.  Disappointments
13.  When children are hurt
14.  Innocence mocked

Friday, December 2, 2011

Moppin' Like My Mama

If my mother is ever famous for anything--other than her singing, of course--view detailsit will be because of her immaculate kitchen floors.  Even when things were at their worst, there was never a time in my memory that one couldn't eat off her squeaky-clean floor. Domestic household kitchen(Simulation)

So I got the message--if the kitchen floor is clean, everything is all right.  Kind of like how one can tell immediately which patients in the hospital are the sickest just by looking at their hair.  Screen Beans character pulling hair out in frustration One can tell how insane Mama is just by looking at the kitchen floor.


"Let's mop the floor!"  I announced brightly this morning to the three tiny people velcroed to me.  Sadly, I couldn't remember the last time it had been more than damage-control washed.

Woman shoulders down standing at a kitchen sink wearing blue rubber gloves
So we picked up all the stickers and dolls and dirty socks and cookie cutters and shredded papers and shoes and mittens and pokemon cards.
Then I swept.  As I looked for the dustpan Little P finished sweeping for me.  So I swept again.view details  Let the dog out. Picked up all the measuring cups, spoons and canning tools that Caboose had emptied from the drawer.  Then I swept the pancake that Caboose had shredded.  I started to mop.  Answered the phone, changed a poopy diaper, Person handling two telephone calls at onceanswered the phone again and picked up all the contents of the previously mentioned drawer.  Then I washed Caboose's face and wiped Little K's nose.  Mopped another section.  Put all the measuring stuff back into the drawer and quickly mopped that section, and then washed Caboose's face again and put the markers away. I let the dog in.Beagle dog standing in the grass
Cartoon image of four kids dancing and celebratingThen I hung 15 paper snowflakes on the fridge, swept up the little papers and quickly took the scissors away from Caboose.  After putting a band-aid on Little K's finger where Caboose had tried to remove it, I mopped the final section. While I changed Caboose's shirt, Little P mopped some of the places I must have missed.  Anime boy water skiingWhile Little K changed her own clothes, I dried the floor where she had slipped and tossed all the wet clothes and towels down the laundry shoot, wiped up the final puddles and surveyed the job site. view details


And, even though it will probably never be completely clean all at once, I know in my heart that underneath all the paw prints, shredded kleenex and barbie barbering that it is pristine.  Sigh.

Mother's Day

I have to wonder how my mom did it.

 I have a vague memory of us all, little dog included, sitting in a row on the edge of the carpet, watching her mop the clean floor.  Not one of us would ever have dared step on it while it was in progress.  Huh.