Today I taught a lesson in our Sunday Relief Society meeting about the Law of Chastity. I think it went well, and hope the direction I took with it was helpful to the women in our ward.
I heard a few horror stories from relatives that had participated in the same lesson a few weeks ago. About discussions that went off track to debate birth control, same-sex marriage, and public school education. I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted the lesson to go, but I knew what I didn't want it to turn into. So I spent the week looking for a way to present the lesson material to my target audience- mostly women in their 50s and 60s with a few young mother's thrown in- in a way that was relevant to their situation that would invite participation and discussion but not debate and would not make anyone uncomfortable.
I decided to approach it as a discussion of our role as women as teachers of children and protectors of the people we love, as "guardians of virtue" in all its forms. We talked about Chastity and its definition, then why breaking it was such a serious sin. My logical explanation was that the Lord values life. The most serious sin is murder, the taking of a life. The second most serious sin is breaking the law of chastity, abusing the powers of creating life. I pointed out the counsel we are given to teach our children, the resources the church has given us to do it like "A Parent's Guide" and "For the Strength of Youth" and even the Friend magazine here and here. And repeated a talk we had in sacrament meeting last week that reminded us that whatever we didn't teach our children, the public schools and media would happily take over for us.
We talked about giving our children the right information now, before they got the wrong information later. About giving them the tools they needed to make good choices and explain their choices to others. And about being good examples in our own choices of dress, media consumption, and in standing up for what is right in public places, such as speaking out against inappropriate media or school programs.
We talked about many ways Satan tempts people to break the law of chastity, such as promoting immodest dress, lowering the standards of media content, promoting homosexuality, and spreading pornography. I told the Chocolate cake story* and we played "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"** and talked about putting filters on our computers and using the parental controls on the tv remote and keeping both in busy spots around the house, not in bedrooms or basements or office corners. We shared ideas about the importance of dressing modestly at every age, of keeping our temple covenants after we get there, and living so the Holy Ghost can help us make good choices.
I shared my testimony of the importance of the Law of Chastity, of the sacred responsibility we have to teach our families and children about virtue and chastity, and the help we can have from the Holy Ghost in knowing what to say and when to say it, and the importance of keeping a constant watch against Satan's efforts to infiltrate our homes with inappropriate media.
I wish I had more time to talk about the miracle of forgiveness, that there is always a way out, and the church's addiction recovery program to help deal with pornography problems, and found a way to keep the old ladies in the back row from tuning out and falling asleep, but I was out of time and discussion questions. And I still wonder if I should have made brownies, or maybe some chocolate cake? Oh well.
All in all, I learned a lot, which I guess was the point, right? I have a good FHE lesson in the works to help my kids fight the coming onslaught of public school next week and a stronger testimony of one more gospel principle. I will call that a success!
*When I was in YW um, several years ago, we were taught an object lesson by a guess teacher. I don't know who she was, but I still remember what she said. I will summarize. I am sure there is a longer illustrated version somewhere in a "Best of Mormon Something" anthology. Here is the short version I shared today.
Once upon there was a happy little town. They were given two rules, which if they kept carefully they were guaranteed to always be safe and happy. The two rules were: 1. Never eat chocolate cake and 2. Never wear the color red.
One day there gathered a team of mean people who decided that they wanted to make everyone miserable like they were, so they set about trying to make the people break the rules. They first tried to open a chocolate cake stand but were quickly shut down and run out of town because the people knew better than to let chocolate cake into their town.
So the team leader opened a bakery. The people protested at first, but since there was nothing in the laws prohibiting bakeries, and the bakery promised to sell just cookies, they let them stay. First he sold cookies, then chocolate chip cookies. People were worried at first, but eventually learned to like cookies and figured the law was against, cake, not cookies. Next the baker made muffins, then cupcakes. Just white cupcakes, so nothing really wrong to alarm the towns people. Then he added chocolate frosting, and started making white cakes with chocolate frosting, and even chocolate chips. But since the rule was against chocolate cake, no one could do anything to stop him. Finally the baker introduced a chocolate and vanilla swirl cake, which wasn't really technically against the rules, and wasn't it almost the same as plain white cake anyway? He added less and less vanilla swirl to each cake until eventually the people of the town were happily consuming chocolate cake and had forgotten all about the first rule of happiness. When they started to feel sad or guilty about the rules, they just ate more chocolate cake and soon felt better.
The baker soon was able to close his shop because the people were making their own cakes at home now. He soon returned however, and opened a dress shop. He put up a billboard in the center of town featuring a smiling model eating chocolate cake and wearing a beautiful dress, in a lovely shade of pink.
**I read a talk from a YW leader who took her girls shopping for modest clothes. If they could sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" complete with lifting their arms, bending over, leaning forward, etc. without revealing anything, the clothes were modest enough. An easy gage to teach our girls to use when they pick out their own clothes.
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Camp W- Weeks 3-5 and Summer Reading Tips
The second installment of the Camp Wannalaffalotta by Mom summer survival guide. Click here for part 1 and a sample brochure.
A bit about summer reading. Most kids will come home from school with some sort of summer reading game to fill out for school the next year. Some older kids will even have a stack of books they are supposed to read over the summer. My daughter was given an assignment to read at least 10 books and do a diorama book report on her favorite to turn in the first week of school.
I know that some kids just don't like to read, and summer is a good time to learn how to read for fun or to read for a reward instead of homework. For kids who already love to read, summer is a good time to read all of the "just for fun" books they haven't had a chance to get to during the school year or to explore new areas of interest. I read to my kids at various time during the day and in the summer I read an advanced chapter book to my older kids while the little ones are napping to start their rest time. This summer we are reading the "Dealing with Dragons" series by Patricia Wrede. It is a good series for my mixed age group, with dragons, magic, wizards, knights, and princesses, but doesn't have the scary or violent parts that are in so many other popular fantasy books right now.
I don't use reading time as a reward or punishment at our house or reward my kids for reading a set amount of pages. In our house reading is just something we do, like taking naps or eating dessert or picking up your shoes off the floor or playing outside. If it isn't so easy for you, you might want to devise some sort of your own incentive chart at home, giving points for minutes or pages read in order to earn a reward of some kind.
In our house the biggest challenge is keeping track of all the lists for the many programs they are enrolled in. I found it easiest to just use the summer reading log we got from the library (or two or three of them) and keep a master list of books read for each kid. Then I transfer the titles into whatever reward form we are getting ready to turn in.
The easiest programs to participate in are ran by national bookstore chains, Borders and Barnes and Noble. They both have forms you can get in store or online, where you just list the ten books you read and turn in the form to the store to get a free book. They let three of my kids, ages 2,6, and 9, participate so we will end up with 6 free books.
The best program is probably ran by your local library. They will have some sort of form to fill out with weekly or monthly small prizes like stickers and bookmarks then a goody bag at the end that usually has a free book and coupons for all sorts of stuff- kids meals, donuts, ice cream cones, bowling, baseball games, mini golf, etc, depending on the local sponsors, and toys like Frisbees or balls.
Besides the reading program, libraries usually pull out all the stops when it comes to summer programs and there is bound to be something cool happening there all summer. In our county my kids can go to story time- usually different age groups from infant to teens-, craft time, language classes, book clubs, and parties. They also have all sorts of visitors- characters like Cookie Monster or Pooh, Polynesian dancers, magicians, animal shows, petting zoos, clowns, puppets shows, baseball players, and authors.
You might try the library next to yours- most libraries within the county or state have a loan policy that lets you check out and return books to any branch, not just your local one. You might have a bookmobile stopping near you, another interesting way to find a good book. You can get DVDs, music CDs, and audio books. Some have a digital library that you can get books for your computer or nook and audio books for your mp3 player or ipod. And if they don't have the book you want, just tell them and they will go find it for you- from their shelves, when it gets returned if someone else has it right now, or from another library in the state or county.
I figure if a kid spends all that time in a library, he or she is bound to stumble upon something they love eventually!
Besides hanging out at the library, here is what we did for Camp W for weeks 3-5.
Week 3-5: Settling into a summer routine
Some things we did:
Join a local 4-H horse club for a camp and barn sleepover
So after all that, I hope you are getting ready to go to the library! More to come, of course.
A bit about summer reading. Most kids will come home from school with some sort of summer reading game to fill out for school the next year. Some older kids will even have a stack of books they are supposed to read over the summer. My daughter was given an assignment to read at least 10 books and do a diorama book report on her favorite to turn in the first week of school.
I know that some kids just don't like to read, and summer is a good time to learn how to read for fun or to read for a reward instead of homework. For kids who already love to read, summer is a good time to read all of the "just for fun" books they haven't had a chance to get to during the school year or to explore new areas of interest. I read to my kids at various time during the day and in the summer I read an advanced chapter book to my older kids while the little ones are napping to start their rest time. This summer we are reading the "Dealing with Dragons" series by Patricia Wrede. It is a good series for my mixed age group, with dragons, magic, wizards, knights, and princesses, but doesn't have the scary or violent parts that are in so many other popular fantasy books right now.
I don't use reading time as a reward or punishment at our house or reward my kids for reading a set amount of pages. In our house reading is just something we do, like taking naps or eating dessert or picking up your shoes off the floor or playing outside. If it isn't so easy for you, you might want to devise some sort of your own incentive chart at home, giving points for minutes or pages read in order to earn a reward of some kind.
In our house the biggest challenge is keeping track of all the lists for the many programs they are enrolled in. I found it easiest to just use the summer reading log we got from the library (or two or three of them) and keep a master list of books read for each kid. Then I transfer the titles into whatever reward form we are getting ready to turn in.
The easiest programs to participate in are ran by national bookstore chains, Borders and Barnes and Noble. They both have forms you can get in store or online, where you just list the ten books you read and turn in the form to the store to get a free book. They let three of my kids, ages 2,6, and 9, participate so we will end up with 6 free books.
The best program is probably ran by your local library. They will have some sort of form to fill out with weekly or monthly small prizes like stickers and bookmarks then a goody bag at the end that usually has a free book and coupons for all sorts of stuff- kids meals, donuts, ice cream cones, bowling, baseball games, mini golf, etc, depending on the local sponsors, and toys like Frisbees or balls.
Besides the reading program, libraries usually pull out all the stops when it comes to summer programs and there is bound to be something cool happening there all summer. In our county my kids can go to story time- usually different age groups from infant to teens-, craft time, language classes, book clubs, and parties. They also have all sorts of visitors- characters like Cookie Monster or Pooh, Polynesian dancers, magicians, animal shows, petting zoos, clowns, puppets shows, baseball players, and authors.
You might try the library next to yours- most libraries within the county or state have a loan policy that lets you check out and return books to any branch, not just your local one. You might have a bookmobile stopping near you, another interesting way to find a good book. You can get DVDs, music CDs, and audio books. Some have a digital library that you can get books for your computer or nook and audio books for your mp3 player or ipod. And if they don't have the book you want, just tell them and they will go find it for you- from their shelves, when it gets returned if someone else has it right now, or from another library in the state or county.
I figure if a kid spends all that time in a library, he or she is bound to stumble upon something they love eventually!
Besides hanging out at the library, here is what we did for Camp W for weeks 3-5.
Week 3-5: Settling into a summer routine
Learn to cook a simple meal (taco salad at our house)
Make cookies for grandpa
Go to the library and sign up for the summer reading program
Visit a local ice cream parlor. We are trying a new one each month then will vote on a family favorite!
Visit a local farm- this creamery gives free tours and let you bottle feed the calves!
Sneak into grandma's house while she is at work and clean it like crazy, leave dinner in the fridge, then run away fast before she gets home!
Take free Spanish classes at the library every day for a week
Visit an indoor bounce house (Monkey Joe's where we are)
Take a piano lesson from an older cousin
Swim in Aunt L's pool
Have a sleepover with cousins- ride their neighbor's horse, pick berries, and do free summer bowling
Have a sleepover with Aunt T and have a board game and movie party
Go to the park and have a picnic- simple picnic is throwing your regular lunch in a bag and eating it outside at the park!
Have a squirt gun/water balloon fight
Make lemonade or kool aid popsicles
Visit the bookmobile
Splash in a summer rain stormJoin a local 4-H horse club for a camp and barn sleepover
So after all that, I hope you are getting ready to go to the library! More to come, of course.
Monday, May 16, 2011
On Empty Pots
No, this isn't a gardening post. I already wrote about that in this post. This post is more concerned with the emptiness than the growing.
There is a stack of empty flower pots sitting on my front porch. They have been there since we moved in about 6 weeks ago. They sit there collecting rain water, pollen, dust, and dandelion seeds. I don't think about them during the day, the business of life keeps them "out of sight, out of mind." I do notice them, however, every time I enter or leave the house. And I think of the things I could be growing there.
I have made plans for them many times. Lots of plans and great ideas. I have read books and blogs and articles about container gardening and helping flowers and vegetables grow in pots on porches and window sills. I think I could probably write my own article or blog post on the subject. With all my knowledge though, the pots are still empty, briming with possibility and potential and plans, but empty.
I have a house full of empty pots- blank walls waiting for decorating, pattern print outs waiting to be cut and sewn into clothes and dolls and other objects, stacks of empty journals with blank pages, and drawers of photos waiting to be put into albums or scrapbooked. I know how to do it, but findig the time and motivation to do it all is still eluding me. And I have decided that it is okay. The flowers can wait a few weeks or months or even years. And it's not that important if the walls are blank or the sewing machine stays in the box.
There are however a few "pots" that can't be neglected or postponed.
I have been watching some rebroadcasts of women's conference where Sister Beck mentions some of the womanly duties that can't be delegated or negotiated or neglected. I heard a quote from a member of the First Presidency that explains how to move into a "survival mode" of sorts when things get out of control by focusing on just the essentials. Various other sources have all sent messages of the importance of focusing on the best things, instead of getting distracted by all the good things. Roles of wife, mother, sister, and daughter. Essentials like prayer amd scripture and family time.
I have five empty pots that have to be tended to now. They have names, and needs, and I have a sacred responsibility to tend to them. My husband needs a supportive and functional wife. My four children need a mother. And all that other stuff isn't that important.
It took a big move that took me way out of my comfort zone and away from my external support network to show me that I have to create my own comfort zone. To turn to my husband- my eternal support, when I need comfort or distraction from lonliness or depression or overwhelming feelings of doubt. That the responsibility of turning an house into a home rests on my shoulders. That the family relationships are more important than all the others. Right now I have a unique gift of time- no church calling or ward family to pull either of us away in the evening or on Sundays, no school volunteer duties, no girls nights or lunch dates to provide social outlets. Just my family to focus on. And we need a date night!
I have a job to do as a mother. Right now, I'm all they've got! They are little empty pots themselves, ready and waiting for me to plant all the right seeds. Or not plant anything, and let weeds and bugs and happenstance take over. I have been finctioning in the wrong survival mode for so long that I haven't been doing much mothering. Lots of caretaking and providing, but not mothering. I filled my days with busy-ness, but not essentials.
It hit me today as I was reading a blog about the importance of reading to your children, while my toddler watched tv or played alone. I could write a great book about mothering- I know a lot about it! But knowledge doesn't do any good unless it is applied. So I turned off the screen and sat with my girls and we read lots and lots of books and played with her toys and made lunch and sang songs.
I didn't need a book or a blog to tell me how to do it, I already knew. I just needed to do it. And as I sat and thougt about it, I thought of so many other ways I knew but wasn't doing. Right now we are all facing challenges nad my children need a mother, not just someone to feed them and wash their clothes.
So I am cutting out all those extras. It is not important if the photos ever come out of the box. No one will care in the eternitities if I learned to knit socks or paint murals or grow tomatoes or if my girls go to church in matching skirts I made myself. They need long talks and warm hugs and sincere prayers to grow strong, not homemade bread or custom drapes or hand glued hairbows with giant flowers. Blogging about motherhood and marriage and eternal families isn't nearly as important as having family home evening and reading our scriptures together and going to church together.
I can drag tham all over the state this summer and take them to concerts and museums and carnivals and make clay volcanoes and toothpick towers, but it is most important to teach them to love eachother, to serve others and their families, to play together, to learn about who they are and their amazing potential and eternal destiny. I just spent a week planning our summer camp, three months packed full of outings and day trips and adventures of all sorts. I think I am going to start over with a more important focus than just keeping my kids busy. We are going to grow together and learn about love and families and working and playing together, not just stay busy. I am pretty sure that one of our activities this summer will be to grow something in those empty pots, but maybe not. I might just leave them there.
So if you come to my house and see the stack of empty pots, know that they are there on purpose- to remind me of the more important things.
There is a stack of empty flower pots sitting on my front porch. They have been there since we moved in about 6 weeks ago. They sit there collecting rain water, pollen, dust, and dandelion seeds. I don't think about them during the day, the business of life keeps them "out of sight, out of mind." I do notice them, however, every time I enter or leave the house. And I think of the things I could be growing there.
I have made plans for them many times. Lots of plans and great ideas. I have read books and blogs and articles about container gardening and helping flowers and vegetables grow in pots on porches and window sills. I think I could probably write my own article or blog post on the subject. With all my knowledge though, the pots are still empty, briming with possibility and potential and plans, but empty.
I have a house full of empty pots- blank walls waiting for decorating, pattern print outs waiting to be cut and sewn into clothes and dolls and other objects, stacks of empty journals with blank pages, and drawers of photos waiting to be put into albums or scrapbooked. I know how to do it, but findig the time and motivation to do it all is still eluding me. And I have decided that it is okay. The flowers can wait a few weeks or months or even years. And it's not that important if the walls are blank or the sewing machine stays in the box.
There are however a few "pots" that can't be neglected or postponed.
I have been watching some rebroadcasts of women's conference where Sister Beck mentions some of the womanly duties that can't be delegated or negotiated or neglected. I heard a quote from a member of the First Presidency that explains how to move into a "survival mode" of sorts when things get out of control by focusing on just the essentials. Various other sources have all sent messages of the importance of focusing on the best things, instead of getting distracted by all the good things. Roles of wife, mother, sister, and daughter. Essentials like prayer amd scripture and family time.
I have five empty pots that have to be tended to now. They have names, and needs, and I have a sacred responsibility to tend to them. My husband needs a supportive and functional wife. My four children need a mother. And all that other stuff isn't that important.
It took a big move that took me way out of my comfort zone and away from my external support network to show me that I have to create my own comfort zone. To turn to my husband- my eternal support, when I need comfort or distraction from lonliness or depression or overwhelming feelings of doubt. That the responsibility of turning an house into a home rests on my shoulders. That the family relationships are more important than all the others. Right now I have a unique gift of time- no church calling or ward family to pull either of us away in the evening or on Sundays, no school volunteer duties, no girls nights or lunch dates to provide social outlets. Just my family to focus on. And we need a date night!
I have a job to do as a mother. Right now, I'm all they've got! They are little empty pots themselves, ready and waiting for me to plant all the right seeds. Or not plant anything, and let weeds and bugs and happenstance take over. I have been finctioning in the wrong survival mode for so long that I haven't been doing much mothering. Lots of caretaking and providing, but not mothering. I filled my days with busy-ness, but not essentials.
It hit me today as I was reading a blog about the importance of reading to your children, while my toddler watched tv or played alone. I could write a great book about mothering- I know a lot about it! But knowledge doesn't do any good unless it is applied. So I turned off the screen and sat with my girls and we read lots and lots of books and played with her toys and made lunch and sang songs.
I didn't need a book or a blog to tell me how to do it, I already knew. I just needed to do it. And as I sat and thougt about it, I thought of so many other ways I knew but wasn't doing. Right now we are all facing challenges nad my children need a mother, not just someone to feed them and wash their clothes.
So I am cutting out all those extras. It is not important if the photos ever come out of the box. No one will care in the eternitities if I learned to knit socks or paint murals or grow tomatoes or if my girls go to church in matching skirts I made myself. They need long talks and warm hugs and sincere prayers to grow strong, not homemade bread or custom drapes or hand glued hairbows with giant flowers. Blogging about motherhood and marriage and eternal families isn't nearly as important as having family home evening and reading our scriptures together and going to church together.
I can drag tham all over the state this summer and take them to concerts and museums and carnivals and make clay volcanoes and toothpick towers, but it is most important to teach them to love eachother, to serve others and their families, to play together, to learn about who they are and their amazing potential and eternal destiny. I just spent a week planning our summer camp, three months packed full of outings and day trips and adventures of all sorts. I think I am going to start over with a more important focus than just keeping my kids busy. We are going to grow together and learn about love and families and working and playing together, not just stay busy. I am pretty sure that one of our activities this summer will be to grow something in those empty pots, but maybe not. I might just leave them there.
So if you come to my house and see the stack of empty pots, know that they are there on purpose- to remind me of the more important things.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Lessons Learned
What have I learned from motherhood, that I never expected to learn? Well, honestly the answer is anything.
As the second of 10 children, I was pretty familiar with the daily grind of motherhood. Before I left home at 17 I had changed diapers, wiped noses, caught throw up in the middle of the night, sang lullabies, kissed booboos, and potty trained. I had given little boys haircuts and helped with science project homework. I could cook for 12 people, wash laundry, and make a very efficient chore chart (getting them all to comply was another story of course). I knew abot umbilical cords and pink eye and how to mix formula and rice cereal. I do admit I was completely unpreparred for the pure physical exhaustion I would feel, as well as how much more emotionally involved I wiould be, but as far as new physical skills, I was pretty sure I knew it all.
I had a plan, marriage, then graduation from college, then I would have kids. As soon as I passed my last final I would be done learning. No school, no homework, no studying, no learning.
Then of course, I had a baby and learned I knew absolutely nothing. So many questions, so many things I didn't know! I learned a lot more by experience, by doing, out of neccessity. There was so much more to learn as a mother that I couldn't learn as a big sister or a babysitter. How long do I let her cry while falling asleep? How high should the fever be before I give medicine or call the doctor? How do I teach her to pray? To tell the truth? To spell her name? To stand up for herself? To be herself? And just when I thought I had it figured out, her brother came and what worked for one didn't work so well anymore, and I started over. The pattern has continued for numbers 3 and 4 as well. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.
However, the thing that really suprised me was that I was never going to stop learning. Beyond the parenting books and child development issues, my children present me with new learning opportunities every day. They motivate me to reach farther and learn things I would not otherwise care to find out about.
For example, these are the things I have learned in the past two months, thanks to the library and google and just making things up:
If a lion and tiger got in a fight, who would win?
Why do fireflies glow?
What kind of flowers grow in that spot?
Why do I bleed?
Where is the hottest place on earth? The coldest?
How do I make a cardboard tube into a musical instrument?
If we mix a cake with no eggs, will it still be a cake?
Why do I have to eat green beans to be healthy?
How does an airplane fly?
Why do cars need gas to drive?
How far away is Canada? Alaska? California?
Why is the water at the beach salty and the water in the lake just muddy?
If Eleanor Roosevelt was alive today, how old would she be?
How does polio make you need a wheelchair?
Why do some trees have flowers and some have needles and some just have leaves?
Does every kind of animal poop, even fish and flies and cats and lions and bears and dragons?
What would dragon poop look like, do you think?
Could I grow a pineapple?
Are bubbles always round?
Why are they named stink bugs? Do they really stink?
Would it cost more to drive to Alaska or California? What if we camped out instead of sleeping in a hotel?
Does it ever stop raining here?
If I make tears when I cry, does Heavenly Father cry when he is sad, and does his resurrected body make tears?
Why does the yolk of the egg turn green on the outside when you cook it?
Do babies ever stop crying?
So I guess the answer is all of the above. I never expected to keep learning so much!
As the second of 10 children, I was pretty familiar with the daily grind of motherhood. Before I left home at 17 I had changed diapers, wiped noses, caught throw up in the middle of the night, sang lullabies, kissed booboos, and potty trained. I had given little boys haircuts and helped with science project homework. I could cook for 12 people, wash laundry, and make a very efficient chore chart (getting them all to comply was another story of course). I knew abot umbilical cords and pink eye and how to mix formula and rice cereal. I do admit I was completely unpreparred for the pure physical exhaustion I would feel, as well as how much more emotionally involved I wiould be, but as far as new physical skills, I was pretty sure I knew it all.
I had a plan, marriage, then graduation from college, then I would have kids. As soon as I passed my last final I would be done learning. No school, no homework, no studying, no learning.
Then of course, I had a baby and learned I knew absolutely nothing. So many questions, so many things I didn't know! I learned a lot more by experience, by doing, out of neccessity. There was so much more to learn as a mother that I couldn't learn as a big sister or a babysitter. How long do I let her cry while falling asleep? How high should the fever be before I give medicine or call the doctor? How do I teach her to pray? To tell the truth? To spell her name? To stand up for herself? To be herself? And just when I thought I had it figured out, her brother came and what worked for one didn't work so well anymore, and I started over. The pattern has continued for numbers 3 and 4 as well. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.
However, the thing that really suprised me was that I was never going to stop learning. Beyond the parenting books and child development issues, my children present me with new learning opportunities every day. They motivate me to reach farther and learn things I would not otherwise care to find out about.
For example, these are the things I have learned in the past two months, thanks to the library and google and just making things up:
If a lion and tiger got in a fight, who would win?
Why do fireflies glow?
What kind of flowers grow in that spot?
Why do I bleed?
Where is the hottest place on earth? The coldest?
How do I make a cardboard tube into a musical instrument?
If we mix a cake with no eggs, will it still be a cake?
Why do I have to eat green beans to be healthy?
How does an airplane fly?
Why do cars need gas to drive?
How far away is Canada? Alaska? California?
Why is the water at the beach salty and the water in the lake just muddy?
If Eleanor Roosevelt was alive today, how old would she be?
How does polio make you need a wheelchair?
Why do some trees have flowers and some have needles and some just have leaves?
Does every kind of animal poop, even fish and flies and cats and lions and bears and dragons?
What would dragon poop look like, do you think?
Could I grow a pineapple?
Are bubbles always round?
Why are they named stink bugs? Do they really stink?
Would it cost more to drive to Alaska or California? What if we camped out instead of sleeping in a hotel?
Does it ever stop raining here?
If I make tears when I cry, does Heavenly Father cry when he is sad, and does his resurrected body make tears?
Why does the yolk of the egg turn green on the outside when you cook it?
Do babies ever stop crying?
So I guess the answer is all of the above. I never expected to keep learning so much!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Weekly Report for August 30
1. Home- still a tornado. But I have a plan, a system, a written out routine for all of us. 2 hrs a day of cleaning- 1 hr for keep up, and one hour for catch up, to be replaced with projects later. Going with the daily docket from "simple mom" and the household binder and mom space from "JOY". This week's goal: organize living room to accommodate new compact corner unit desk so I can move the computer out to the living room (need to be able to keep an eye on the kids) and turn the office room into Andy's room.
2. Fitness- made it to the gym 4 of 5 days. Drum roll please- I have lost 8 pounds since returning home from vacation 6 weeks ago. Yeah me! If I could have the willpower to cut out the ice cream and chocolate chip cookies it would be more. Still can't get into my "old clothes" yet.
3. Spirit- Found new plan for family scripture study to implement tomorrow. Involves waking up 15 minutes earlier- I hope it works. Going to start Book of Mormon over tomorrow and start reading it with Lenna at night to fill her homework reading requirement. Hope to find a sitter and spend my 30th birthday at the temple.
4. Education- I learned to knit at enrichment Saturday. Have plan for square-foot garden to implement after house caught up, probably for spring plants. Going to try new recipe with the kids this week.
5. Family- Going to take my kids to the pool this week. Going to start getting up in the morning with Mike as often as I can. I think the few minutes together will make a difference. Starting with 2 letters/cards/emails per week to far away relatives. Sept is birthday month, so it will be just cards this month.
I am still feeling motivated. So far, so good.
2. Fitness- made it to the gym 4 of 5 days. Drum roll please- I have lost 8 pounds since returning home from vacation 6 weeks ago. Yeah me! If I could have the willpower to cut out the ice cream and chocolate chip cookies it would be more. Still can't get into my "old clothes" yet.
3. Spirit- Found new plan for family scripture study to implement tomorrow. Involves waking up 15 minutes earlier- I hope it works. Going to start Book of Mormon over tomorrow and start reading it with Lenna at night to fill her homework reading requirement. Hope to find a sitter and spend my 30th birthday at the temple.
4. Education- I learned to knit at enrichment Saturday. Have plan for square-foot garden to implement after house caught up, probably for spring plants. Going to try new recipe with the kids this week.
5. Family- Going to take my kids to the pool this week. Going to start getting up in the morning with Mike as often as I can. I think the few minutes together will make a difference. Starting with 2 letters/cards/emails per week to far away relatives. Sept is birthday month, so it will be just cards this month.
I am still feeling motivated. So far, so good.
Monday, August 24, 2009
What is Operation Joy?
Operation JOY is my new personal quest for, well, joy.
This past year has been a real struggle for me, and I am finally feeling motivated and energized enough to set up some new routines and habits that will bring some joy to my life.
No more waiting until the next phase- after the kids start school, after Mike graduates, after I lose 20 pounds, after we get a bigger house, after... what? After my life is over? No thanks. So I am trying to set up some systems to make it easier for me to enjoy my life now. How? Just Organize Yourself. This will be a place to set goals, track progress, and share results!
I have five basic areas that I need to organize:
1. Home
2. Fitness
3. Spirituality
4. Education
5. Family
1. First, my house. 2 years of working, a move, and a new baby have thrown things into chaos (can't have anyone over syndrome). Time to de-clutter, organize, deep clean, and keep clean. And time to share the load and let everyone who lives here start taking some responsibility for their own stuff! I have never been enthusiastic about my role as a homemaker, but I am ready to step up and embrace my role as keeper of our home. Cooking, cleaning, and creating will be chronicled in this section.
I want my house to feel like home- a place to feel peace, a place to relax, and place to have fun and grow as a family, a safe-haven from the outside world where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.
2. Next, my body. Four kids and a year of inactivity due to pregnancy and the Georgia summer have taken their toll on my body. My metabolism has changed and I can no longer get away with eating the junk I used to. A new exercise routine, healthier eating habits, and a determination to fit into my old jeans are to be chronicled here.
3. Next, spiritual things. Time to re-read the Book of Mormon, strengthen my testimony, and magnify my calling. Now that baby is old enough to go without nursing for several hours and will take a bottle, I have no reason to not be at the temple regularly. I am making a renewed effort to be a good example for my children, to hold regular home evenings, family prayer and scripture study, and make our home a learning place.
4. Next, education. Not more formal schooling, at least for me. My learning will be done outside the classroom. I want to read more good books. I want to finish all those projects sitting in the closet, not quite completed. I want to learn to do simple home repairs. I want to grow a garden. I want to learn another language. I want to find something that I can be passionate about. I want to make sure my free time is filled with meaningful things and not simply things "to pass the time". No letting my brain "turn smushy" as my kids would say. I will share what I am learning here.
5. Finally, family. I have a big family. I have many roles to play in it- wife, mother, sister, daughter, granddaughter, in-law, aunt. I can do better at all of them. I want to be better at keeping in touch with far-away relatives and building relationships with those who I am not close to. I want to keep my marriage strong. I want to find joy in my role as a mother and learn to have more fun with my children. My adventures in my many roles will be shared in this section.
So there you have it. Operation JOY. Wish me luck- leave a comment! Want to help? Share an idea! Want to come along? Join me in your own operation joy and become a contributor.
Time to get started!
Jannet
This past year has been a real struggle for me, and I am finally feeling motivated and energized enough to set up some new routines and habits that will bring some joy to my life.
No more waiting until the next phase- after the kids start school, after Mike graduates, after I lose 20 pounds, after we get a bigger house, after... what? After my life is over? No thanks. So I am trying to set up some systems to make it easier for me to enjoy my life now. How? Just Organize Yourself. This will be a place to set goals, track progress, and share results!
I have five basic areas that I need to organize:
1. Home
2. Fitness
3. Spirituality
4. Education
5. Family
1. First, my house. 2 years of working, a move, and a new baby have thrown things into chaos (can't have anyone over syndrome). Time to de-clutter, organize, deep clean, and keep clean. And time to share the load and let everyone who lives here start taking some responsibility for their own stuff! I have never been enthusiastic about my role as a homemaker, but I am ready to step up and embrace my role as keeper of our home. Cooking, cleaning, and creating will be chronicled in this section.
I want my house to feel like home- a place to feel peace, a place to relax, and place to have fun and grow as a family, a safe-haven from the outside world where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.
2. Next, my body. Four kids and a year of inactivity due to pregnancy and the Georgia summer have taken their toll on my body. My metabolism has changed and I can no longer get away with eating the junk I used to. A new exercise routine, healthier eating habits, and a determination to fit into my old jeans are to be chronicled here.
3. Next, spiritual things. Time to re-read the Book of Mormon, strengthen my testimony, and magnify my calling. Now that baby is old enough to go without nursing for several hours and will take a bottle, I have no reason to not be at the temple regularly. I am making a renewed effort to be a good example for my children, to hold regular home evenings, family prayer and scripture study, and make our home a learning place.
4. Next, education. Not more formal schooling, at least for me. My learning will be done outside the classroom. I want to read more good books. I want to finish all those projects sitting in the closet, not quite completed. I want to learn to do simple home repairs. I want to grow a garden. I want to learn another language. I want to find something that I can be passionate about. I want to make sure my free time is filled with meaningful things and not simply things "to pass the time". No letting my brain "turn smushy" as my kids would say. I will share what I am learning here.
5. Finally, family. I have a big family. I have many roles to play in it- wife, mother, sister, daughter, granddaughter, in-law, aunt. I can do better at all of them. I want to be better at keeping in touch with far-away relatives and building relationships with those who I am not close to. I want to keep my marriage strong. I want to find joy in my role as a mother and learn to have more fun with my children. My adventures in my many roles will be shared in this section.
So there you have it. Operation JOY. Wish me luck- leave a comment! Want to help? Share an idea! Want to come along? Join me in your own operation joy and become a contributor.
Time to get started!
Jannet
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