Sharing of Everyday Moments

My way to save money and help recycle: I pick up outdated magazines at the library free table. Yes, I am behind a few months, catching up though.

The editor-in-chief for BHG, Gayle G. Butler, wrote something in October 2008 that I thought was pretty profound: "Simple, regular sharing of everyday moments keeps us close to those we care for--no matter where we are."

Reading blogs/email/FB does that for me. Writing and reading spouse Night Journals (he writes me a letter each night in a plain spiral notebook, and I write to him in another one, and we switch book every other night. We are coming up on a year of doing this, and I highly recommend doing it, even on the nights you are really tired, or grouchy--or both.).

Blogging doesn't have to have picture posts. Just real words. Real thoughts and feelings.

I have a new calling/assignment at Church. Instead of working with the little kids 18 months-12 years, I will be teaching scripture study Seminary to teenagers, EARLY in the morning. At 5:45 am. Here, in my home. Every school day. We live across the soccer/lacrosse field from the high school, very convenient.

I will have three of my kids in high school, convenient for them, too.

One more month to get ready! I've been pondering ways to help them internalize scriptures, learn them and apply them to their lives. To keep the scriptures real and to "...share everyday moments..." with each other, with their families, with God.

School supplies are on sale everywhere so I got 18 composition books to create journals for each of my students. Thinking about making a tabbed section for

HEART=feelings/desires
MIND=thoughts/questions
STRENGTH=actions/service
MIGHT=influence/power/example

A tabbed section for characters/prophets/people mentioned as we read throughout the year.

And one for the 25 scripture mastery verses for them to memorize. After 4 years they are encouraged to have all 100 known by heart. Amazing, inspired program, and I am excited to be a part of it!

Missing Max

Thank you, Julie, for the pictures in Kansas City!

That is Maxwell, 2nd from the right! It is so good to see he is doing well! Glad he got to see Julie and David's artsy-fartsy cool house!


Max won't be home for another week. He is on tour, out west, singing with the Maryland State Boychoir. The week before he left, he was gone at youth conference, and before that, High Adventure. These pictures are all taken by Mark Koncurat.



I am mothering from a distance this week. Busy summer, kids doing all kinds of projects, working, computer gaming, wii-ing. I have to concentrate on the moments I do have them face to face, and ask them questions, listen, check on their health and needs.

Sibling Smiles

  Out of 9 kids, how many of us have dimples? Seven that I am pretty sure of. Glasses: 6 of us. Brunettes: 4; Blond: 4; Redheads: 1. Brown eyes: 5; Blue eyes 3; Greenish: 1. Braces: 4? Varicose Veins: still counting. Diabetic: 0. What ever happened to the genetic study that we were helping with? Big families are great study populations.

I just finished Brandon Saunderson's "Warbreaker" and have been thinking about the physical ideal, what would I choose to look like if I could pick physical characteristics? Would I want to blend in, or stand out? Is being dark-haired part of my identity, really? As I turn slowly white-haired, even? Would I want hair that changed color with my moods?! Would I pick a more atheletic build? Yes! More symmetrical?! Longer fingers, the better to paint with? Stronger legs? Taller? (my kids will all be taller than I am, and that is okay).

I know our bodies are important. I am thankful for parents who contributed their genes, helped to create me, make me who I am.

I am thankful for phsycial life. Being able to touch and see, smell, hear, taste and feel are great blessings.

Birth and RE-birth Day!

She wanted to get baptized on her birthday. Today she is 8 years old, accountable, old enough to know wrong from right. We believe in baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, making a covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, and to follow Him.







It was a beautiful morning on the Susquehanna River!

Camo Mural + Sweet Date Treat

Client painted base coat and medium blue stripe (exactly 1/3 of wall ) and even left the tarps down for me. Goal was to match the Ranger blue camo bedding and sheet-turned-into curtain (clever idea!).

Two days later it looked like this! With airplanes, helicopters, and para-troopers!

On our date tonight we had Maryland crab cakes, Ritas, and stopped at Ollie's--and John found my size in sizzling Mary Jane crocs, very, very comfy. I really, really should throw away my bright green crocs now...

Outer Banks & Family Gatherings

We just got back from the ocean with my husband's family. My favorite parts were actually playing in the ocean. Emma and I got caught in a rip tide that took us way, WAY out to sea. Shark Bait territory-far. We didn't realize how far out we were with our boogie boards until niece Abby came paddling out. We tried kicking straight in, with no progress, and had to angle in to shore so we weren't fighting against the current. My bright green crocs (no, I did not throw them away yet, knowing they would be perfect for the beach) attracted some nibbles on my legs. It was like getting kissed by so many fish lips.

Ghost crabbing comes in second! Husband John has invested in enough head lamp flashlights for all the kids to use. If you go down on the beach after dark you see hundreds of various sized white or sand-colored crabs. They must think they are invisible (they are during the day) but their movement when you walk towards them and their waving stalk eyes give them away. It kind of creeps you out to see how many there really are.

No bad sunburns, thanks to ruthless spreading of sunscreen and cool swim shirts. Sara L's guacamole was perfect (must watch her make it. Garlic and fresh cilantro being big parts of her secret). Watching "Brigham City" together had a jump-for-fear part that made us laugh, and I was moved at the emotion at the end of the film and the "he who is without sin throw the first stone" theme. I missed the chance we've had other years to go to church together because of the local units having Stake Conference (I was too late anyway, taking train down-which was also a cool part of the trip!).

We have gone into Washington DC in the past to see the fireworks from the Mall. Spectacular! LOUD! Fun family reunions, meeting and sharing snacks until dark. Uncle Blen got his gourmet reputation from the wonderful things he would bring: French bread & hummus, strange olives, tasty desserts. Good memories. I almost called Jen & John to see what their plans were for tonight ... but I took a nap instead. Catching up from a long week of little sleep. I get grouchy tired.

Freedoms

Happy Birthday to America!

I highly recommend the two books "Octavian Nothing" by MT Anderson. Different way of looking at the early years of our country. Some of my family is still in the middle of reading them, so I won't say anything else. No spoilers. But the books bring up some great questions. What do we mean by "Freedoms" and "Liberty" and the "Pursuit of Happiness"? How are you using your freedom?

Another recommendation: "Up" by Pixar/Disney. Wow. Loved it. Cried three different places. Sit through the credits. And have an adventure today!