Aaaaaargh!

Well, I spent seven hours yesterday helping Tallis clean his room. SEVEN HOURS! At least it's done. That kid just loves junk. Finally I told him, "If you treat your stuff like garbage, I will come in and throw it all away. Garbage belongs in the dump." I am so sick of getting him nice stuff and then for him to lose it, break it, stain it, or otherwise destroy it. The other day I couldn't find his shoes ANYWHERE. Finally we went to the store and bought another pair! During our room-cleaning session I found several wadded up single socks . . . I was almost ready to throw away all of our mateless socks from the sock basket. It is a good thing I hadn't gotten there yet.

On a more positive note, he is getting really good at the piano and is doing very well in school. So maybe I am overreacting. But still . . . seven hours!?!

Tallis is Wonderful

Some wonderful things my eight-year-old boy has said:

About Rowan, on March 8, 2010: "I have a feeling he's going to grow up to be a tapdancer. But you never know."

Mom: Tal, why don't you get up when your clock radio goes off?
Tal: It's broken.
Mom: What's wrong with it?
Tal: It's not loud enough. When it goes off it wakes everyone else up, but I can't hear it!

During scripture study as we were reading about the morning stars singing together and the sons of God shouting for joy: "And the daughters threw flowers!"

One Step at a Time

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. There are so many fantastic things available now--so many advances, comforts, and conveniences. At the same time, however, there are a lot of very dangerous things. I don't know where I first heard about the dangers of BPA in baby bottles, but I went online to try to find a BPA-free infa-feeder for Rowan. I stumbled across a website dedicated to identifying non-toxic items for children--www.SafeMama.com. Wow! There are a lot of scary things out there--but there are also a lot of good things. Anyway--since I can't move to the edges of civilization (I'm kinda already there) and live in the wild, I thought I'd try to start changing just bit-by-bit . . . trying to rid my life of the bad stuff, avoid the toxic stuff, and make better choices in the future. So this is February: I will only use BPA and PVC free baby bottles, dishes, and pacifiers. The SafeMama website identifies these, and there are a lot of things to choose from, some available at WalMart or Target. So it's not too hard. The plates and cups for kids at IKEA (Kalas and Mata styles) are listed, so yippee!

Success!

I am so proud of my kids and their piano lessons. They take from me, which isn't ideal but it's cheap. Stop laughing. Mila will probably start with a "real" teacher sometime this spring. They are using Faber Piano Adventures books, and I have them use all 4--lessons, theory, performance, and technique & artistry. They even both asked for the special Christmas book, which they worked on for December. They both just finished up their levels today and started on their new books. Mila blew me away by playing the last song in her book--appropriately enough it was "Auld Lang Syne"--and then TRANSPOSING it into a different key. I was flabbergasted. I have learned so much . . . and the kids are sounding pretty good, too.

Answer to Prayers

My big boy went to scouts for the first time today. He is such a good boy. He was baptized and confirmed last Saturday, and I've been concerned that he's such a goofball . . . I really want him to be able to feel the spirit and recognize it. I love him so much, and I just see so much of myself in him . . . I know how unserious I was and how I wish I'd been more thoughtful. So I worry about him.

Today he was going out to play on the snow hill and I noticed he had no gloves on. He said he couldn't find them. I told him he couldn't play outside without them . . . if he would put them away when he came in, they would always be in the same place. Such a simple concept. He searched, but couldn't see them. The he said he was going to say a prayer. I begged in my heart that his prayer would be answered--that his faith would be strengthened, that he would feel the spirit and understand. Not one minute later he came triumphantly into the hall with the gloves. Oh I was thankful!

Shorts and undershirts

Merry Christmas! 

As I've been cleaning house in preparation for the holiday season, I found a little box of gently used clothes I was probably saving for Ellie. They might be too small now, though. Does anyone want a really cute pair of girl's tan shorts (knee length) and 4 white undershirts all size 6? 

This habit of mine is just my way to channel Aunt Janet. 

Hwathwugu . . .

Well, I know it has been forever since I posted anything, but I have been busy. Homeschooling, nursing every few hours, doing some freelance editing work, taking over the sewing project for One Heart, and doing some research for the Sugar-Salem education foundation . . . . I'm busy. Add to that Thanksgiving coming up and Christmas around the corner and I am going to have a nervous breakdown. Luckily Devan's mom, Ruth, has been coming over every Friday to help me and last week cleaned all of my cupboards. Love her.

We are excited to go down to see Meredith sealed to Ali and Scott this weekend, and then next weekend we'll go to Herriman to visit with Beebs and her family for a week. Looking forward to seeing everyone.