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Two month hiatus
I’ve had a lot of people ask me, “So how was your trip?” I’ve given the expected pleasantry, “Oh, it was great!” But, for record’s sake I wanted to sum up our Pocatello experience, because I learned some important lessons. I’ll go ahead and do this bullet-point style. Long car trips are entirely doable. Especially…
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Scripture stories and primary songs- fabulous way to bring the spirit
I notice a huge difference in our day when we start with scriptures. My boys love these scripture story videos put out by the church. I’m amazed how much Scotland picks up, and it provides great content for conversation. Ideally, I’ll pick scripture stories that go along with what they are studying in Primary. I’ve also learned…
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Perspective
Yesterday, Tom and I had a long chat about – lots of things. But one of the things we did was create an excel file that mapped out our life for the next 50 years. It shows what age we and our children (and hopefully future children) will be, and what life events will likely…
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Mothering philosophies in conflict
Scotland loves to collect “stuff” from around the house and collect it into a common place. Sometimes the container is an emptied ziplock bag, a backpack, a cardboard box, or yesterday, a tent. He tends to continue to find things to add to his container until it is full. So you can imagine what sort…
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The Christmas season
We had a long Christmas season this year. Typically Christmas feels so rushed, and I don’t feel like I have enough time to do all the things I want to do. This year was different. We decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, and we started daily Christmas advent activities soon after. Then we celebrated…
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Christmas thoughts
Be prepared for random, though hopefully not intelligible, spewing. We decided to do Christmas cards this year. It’s the first time we’ve actually sent them out traditional style. Last year we e-mailed an update. I’ve always gawked at the price and in my self-centeredness, figured that if people wanted an update on us they’d check…
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Parenting contemplation
Be the type of person you want your children to become. I might go so far as saying the above thought was revealed to me. I’ve done a lot of praying/thinking/pondering about what divine motherhood entails. The stakes are high for me. I want my boys to reach their full, eternal, potential. So, how do I…
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Teaching giving to a 3-year-old
Some recent conversations in our home: Me: “Today we’re going to make some cards to take to some lonely grandma’s and grandpa’s at the rest home on Friday.” Scotland: “Can I make one for me?” —- Me: After telling a bedtime story about how three characters pretend to be elfs and do secret service for…
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Update: Reporting a rise back to "normal"
Perhaps the only thing I remember from college orientation was this advice. “At some point during college you are all going to call your parents and tell them that everything is going horribly, you hate college, or you feel like you’re failing, or something. Do me a favor- and when things have turned around and…
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Changing perspectives
annoying-playful obnoxious- curious over-active- energetic, lively chatterbox- social poorly dressed- independent pompous- confident misbehavior- misunderstood I’ve been surprised at how changing my view of some of Scotland’s behaviors/characteristics can completely alter my feelings towards him. Words are powerful. When I see Scotland’s endless questions as innocent curiosity, a thirst for knowledge, a sign that I am raising a…