Our 2 kitties

I have to admit the addition of these kitties to our home has been one of the greatest blessings of this past year. We LOVE them. They are little Siberians, have low allergen levels, and are the sweetest kittens ever! This definitely was one of Nate's better ideas! On their first night we didn't have their cage yet so we put them in the bathroom and this is how we found them when we woke up.

boy genius

OK, so both my husband and I agree-- we don't know where this kid came from. As a high school freshman (according to the PSAT) jake just scored better than 99% of juniors taking the same exam. He, also, scored between 29-33 on the PLAN (which is the pre-ACT). What the wha?

The 3 foot chicken

Me, "I would like to know who drew the 3 foot chicken on my bathroom wall?"
Abby, Vivian..."Not me! Not me!"
Jake, "I want to see this 3 foot chicken"
Emmy, "me too!"
Everyone follows into the bathroom.

Me again, "which one of you did this?"
Abby and Vivian again, "not me! not me!"
Jake, "it couldn't have been Vivian--it's too good. Abby had to have done it"
Emmy, "yeah, Abby had to have done it"
Abby, "no I didn't!!@!"

As everyone exits my bathroom Vivian falls behind to whisper to me, "It's a really good chicken, huh momma?"
Me, "yes, Vivian, it's a really good drawing of a chicken"
Vivian replies beaming, "I did it."

2 favorite quotes from today

Em, 11 yrs, when speaking of two of her friends, "they get along great they know everything about all kinds of inappropriate stuff".
Viv, 5 yrs, "Abby, you wanna come see my catepillar poop!?!"

I love summer. When else can I be around to hear all the fun things my kids say. Lots more to tell, but I'm busy packing, packing, packing, again......

Peer pressure

We've been studying Christ's ministry and crucifixion in Matthew as a family over the past month. I've been baffled by how when Pilate brought Jesus before the crowd they all shouted "crucify him". I thought where were the 5,000 that followed him to listen to his teachings? Where were all those he healed to shout "set him free"? Where were they??!! And how could Peter deny him 3 times! I've always been someone who marches to their own tune and didn't mind standing out or apart from the rest--choosing my way even if it departed from the rest. When I was in college I thrived on that fact. I've often thought I wouldn't be able to deny him, but would I have had the strength to speak apart from the rest? If I did I probably would have been stoned or spat upon or who knows as the people back then were brutal.

This past Sunday I got a better understanding of what it must have been like. I direct the children's choir at my church. I am always looking for creative ways to teach the music so that the kids will enjoy singing. This past Sunday I borrowed someone's idea to play tic-tac-toe. I made a giant board with different song titles in each square. I divided the two halves of the room into x -team and O-team and let the game commence. Near the end of one round one child chose not to block the other team to prevent them from winning so that they could sing a particular song. I asked him if he knew how to play and what the object of the game was and he said "yes". There immediately was an uproar from his teammates to change the square. He was holding his ground and starting to turn red in the process. Again the crowd swelled with "NO! CHANGE IT!!!!" The boy about burst into tears and at the last second changed it despite his original desire, sat down and cried while attempting to sing the new song--not of his choosing. My first thought was, "boy, was this a STUPID idea!". My second thought was, "Wow...this is what it must have been like". You could see the shame in his face as he tried to hold his ground and go against what everyone was telling him. The pressure was too great.

As our society grows further and further away from Christianity I wonder if it will again get to that point. In all the films I see whenever there is someone religious they are always painted in a poor light. As someone who is judgemental and self-righteous--imposing their "crazy" beliefs on everyone else. Joseph smith believed in Christ and that He visited him and what happened to him? He couldn't deny what he saw--what he believed and as a result was teased, beaten, thrown in jail for no good reason and eventually murdered. What did he have to gain by sticking to his story? Nothing. When he heard the crowd and how adversely they reacted to what he saw and heard he could have easily caved and denied it all. But, he didn't. Believing and following Christ has never been a "popular" idea and I don't know that it ever will be. I hope I am never put to that test and have to choose like that.

OK, so this is quite a lengthy post so I'd better quit. Don't know if it led anywhere, but there's my food for thought for the day..... This morning we'll be reading about Christ's resurrection. At least, there is always a happy ending to the story of Christ's life. I think that's why I like happy endings. I believe in Christ and that we all will be resurrected someday and that is good news!

New Things

Some new things for me this week:

I've finally joined the new age and am now texting....Or rather, Nate bought me a phone that I have the capability to send and receive texts on. Haven't figured out how yet, but I will.

Mom, jeans. They're called "not my daughter's jeans" and they go ALL the way up to my belly button and I LOVE THEM!!! I am SO sick of trying to find clothes to fit that won't shrink up when I sit down or feel like I'm spilling out the top of them. Goodbye fashion--I'm done with you and moving on to a happier simpler life :)

Vegan Chocolate cake. Viv wanted to make a chocolate cake with yellow frosting tonight for Family Night. We had run out of eggs so while looking for an egg substitute online I found a Vegan chocolate cake recipe that was actually quite good. Halfway through I realized we were out of cocoa so I subbed hot chocolate. Used blood oranges for the orange juice it called for and it turned out great. It was spongy, moist and chewy. I'll have to post it on the Bird Food blog.

New use for a food scraper. If you lock yourself out of a room without the keys a food scraper will work as a shimy to open the door without damaging the door. Nate actually discovered this one, but I thought it was useful information.

The number 1 ladies detective agency and Doc Martin. Two new TV shows the family and I like to watch from netflix.

Posting within a month of my last post.

Good times

I've been thinking of renaming our blog to "the rantings and ravings of a middle-aged house wife". Sounds good, doesn't it? All I can think of posting, of late, are whinings and unhappy tales. So...if you don't feel like listening, move on!

I seem to have acquired a "bulging disc". I really don't care how many times Nate explains to me what that means, it's a terrible nuisance and I want it to go away! Imagine not being able to sit down or bend over and pick-up anything on the ground. Now imagine 4 children who do nothing but put things on the ground. We are slowly being buried in our own home. Today I actually stepped over a large grape twig--you know the stick-like things that are left after the grapes are gone? Yep, and I left it there too. It's already dried out and in stick form--what's another week. Sorry, "sidetracked home-executives", I will not be reaching my goals this month.

On top of that we are on DAY 3 of Abby's house arrest. I took her to the Doctor yesterday after my sons carpool informed me that she and her children all had H1N1. Abby started out with high fever, flushed cheeks, lethargy DAY 1. DAY 2, lower fever writhing in pain stating her tummy hurt--THAT and the H1N1 news sent me in to the Pediatrician. Turns out she doesn't have H1N1 she has Influenza B! Who knew? Am I kicking myself for not getting the kids flu shots this year? YES!!! Not to complain, but they were only offered the 3rd Thursday of the month, at a clinic 1/2 hour away, AND, ONLY on Thursdays. OK, so if I wanted to do that I would have to skip swimming, piano lessons, soccer and dance--not to mention someone to take my carpools for preschool and Jr. High. If you add all that up (because you can't reschedule classes you've paid for) it comes to a whopping $75 bucks. Could they make it any less inconvenient? Next year--we will make it! OK, so back to DAY 3 of Influenza B. Today is vomiting day. Oh, JOY!!! Doctor ordered her home for 5 days. Oh, and did I mention, my husband, left her $100 Tamiflu prescription out all night when it says to refrigerate?

Yeah. The rantings and ravings of a middle-aged house wife. I think it fits :)

help and high school stuff

OK, so does ANYONE know how to post an upright picture on your blog without it looking retarded? Yes, I said retarded. Whatever, I give up.

Nate and I went with our oldest tonight to visit a potential HS. Oh. MY. Goodness!! Holy Cow--it was like a private university. Their language program from day 1 is an immersion program. They're on a 4X4 schedule so they can complete a language in a couple years--including taking the AP exam and then take another. What do they offer, you ask? Oh....Japanese, Spanish, French, and ASL. Their performing arts program offers chamber choir, Vocal Performance--complete with private voice lessons, Gamelan, Samba Corvo, Rock band--they were awesome by the way....many performed for us tonight. Graphic artists was amazing--they pair up with local professionals, have mentor programs. What on earth?!? I WANT to GO THERE! OK, so this doesn't even scratch the surface of what they covered tonight.

The downside--this particular school will mean A LOT of extra driving pour moi. What a brilliant and novel idea--letting the students choose where they want to go for high school. That way the schools have to compete to want to get your child to go there. This is the way ALL education should be based. Nate and I were floored. I hope the other schools are as amazing--especially the one 2 miles from our house. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Signing out...Oh,and I'm serious if anyone can help me make the first page look normal with an upright photo I would be so grateful.

Jeni