Play Time

I've been trying harder with Tessa. . . She is one who needs (or at least asks) for constant play time with someone. If it's not a good day for a friend to come over, she wants me. And I can't always play. The only break I get from her demands on those days is the TV. While some TV is okay, too many days I need more time than she should have with that kind of stimulation. . . so I've had to get creative to keep her little mind occupied in other ways. Here's what we've done:

Bowls and scoops and cups with dry beans. Colored water in a squirt bottle. Shaving cream on the table. Buttons and cups and scoops. My tool box of scrapbooking trinkets. Sorting with little animal beads. Pattern blocks

I've also done sponges with water, play dough, sidewalk chalk, pieces of yarn to 'draw' on the carpet, water in the kitchen sink with strainers, cups and suds.

But now my creativity is dwindling and recycling these activities so close together hasn't gotten me as much mileage, so if any of you have any other great idea of things around the house that might keep this little one busy, I'd love you forever if you'd share. (not that I don't already!)

William Tyndale and Me

Perhaps it was this project (a 3ftx4ft paper mache' book) that Cache did in 7th grade that made Elder Christofferson's talk this past conference strike a chord with me, but then again, maybe not because it was a pretty amazing talk.

I loved the whole talk. . . but I loved his summation:
I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language. How incredible such a thing would have seemed to the people of William Tyndale’s day and to the Saints of earlier dispensations! Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3).

Amen. Amen. Amen!

Scuba

Fortunately for the older two boys and Tom a Scuba Merit Badge was created.

Fortunately for them, no cost is spared if one of them has the goal to earn all of the merit badges.

Unfortunately it's been a rigorous week of nearly 5 hours in fairly cold water learning to manage the gear, clear their masks, equalize their ears and many other skills. . .

Unfortunately it falls in a very busy week. . . papers due, AP practice sessions and exams, a Priest/Laurel over night event, a Timberline meeting. . .

But fortunately Cache has deemed the sport "Legit". (Which, by the way, is the ultimate compliment.) Caleb and Tom have also paid it high compliments.

Fortunately I've got a spare spot in the laundry room to hang the gear. . .Unfortunately it will be a while before they get a chance to dive in some place really cool. . .

The Curl

Greta's hair is funny. Unless it's wet or I help it out with gel, it's pretty straight, except for one spot. The curly spot rotates to a different place on her head. . .sometimes it's on top, sometimes it is in the back. . . sometimes it curls up and sometimes it curls down. . .and strangely, it's always only one curl. It's an adventure to get her up in the morning to see where the curl is that day. I thought this curl had a lot of spunk so it got photographed. Lucky little curl. Too bad the little girl sporting the curl wouldn't hold still for a moment. . . .

Work and Faith Connections

In my reading and studying lately, parts of unrelated articles have gathered in one place in my mind. The following quotes have found a nesting spot in my heart and have settled into a bit of an understanding.

"A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence." (Julie Beck April 2010 conference)

"Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, . . . let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents." (President Uchtdorf October 2009 conference)

"Faith in the Savior requires more than mere belief. The Apostle James taught that even the devils believe and tremble. (James 2:19) But true faith requires work. The difference between the devils and the faithful members of this Church is not belief but work." (Wilford W. Andersen April 2010 conference)

In an Ensign article Elder Carmack explains the parable given by Jesus after His disciples ask Him to increase their faith. ". . . [In] Jesus’ parable of the servant who comes into the house from plowing or feeding cattle, [he] still must prepare a meal for his master before eating and drinking. (Luke 17:7-10) In the parable, the master would neither thank his servant nor release him from the balance of his duties. Though the insistence on preparing the meal after a long day of work sounds harsh and ungrateful on its face, in reality that servant is greatly indebted to his master and will always be. Similarly, if we want increased faith. . . . we must give ourselves over completely to our Lord, utterly trusting Him and striving to act as He would act in all circumstances. No matter how difficult and impossible the circumstances we face, we must retain the attitude that we are still in the Lord’s debt. Just keeping the commandments, while laudable, may be enough to maintain our faith but not enough to increase it. We must continue sacrificing and serving with no thought of reward." (Elder John K Carmack Ensign May 2002--this is a fantastic read. Thanks for the link, Laura!)

I know working more or harder is not always the answer to refreshing myself when feeling undermined, emotionally debilitated, and drained, but as these pieces connected in my mind I realized that work should be the answer more often in my life. As I've thought about it, I've realized that it usually is my unfinished work that I've procrastinated that hangs over my head causing me to feel taxed and overwhelmed and therefore leading me to act selfishly or inappropriately. These quotes help me understand that it's the world, not whisperings from the spirit, telling me I need more time away from my responsibilities or less to do. It's a hard concept, but as I've thought about the times I've applied that principle (albeit not conscious to the quotes cited) I've felt better about my situation and a good feeling about myself has resulted. And how is that so? Because working through challenges and working without complaint, especially when I would like a break, increases my faith, expands my abilities and improves my situation. This truth applies to both spiritual and physical needs. Simple on paper, a little tougher in application.

Addendum: I've been working on this post for a few days and the power of these thoughts cemented the other night during a conversation with Cache. He was telling us about how many of his peers slack on their grades. . . how they verbally say out loud: "I can get by with doing no school work the whole term then work really hard the last week and still pull decent grades." or "I can skip most assignments because I can make it up with extra credit." I saw a trend. . .it's not only women receiving alluring messages to find the life of greatest ease and little responsibility. . .all of us are being targeted. I pictured these students at some point approaching a teacher requesting an 'increased grade' and the teacher's answer mirroring the Savior's answer to his disciples (my paraphrase): "You want something, you have to work for it. And continue working patiently even after you think you've worked enough." Paraphrasing and making word substitutes with Elder Carmack's statement also is applicable to a student: "Just pulling the grades, while laudable, may be enough to maintain your educational goals. . it will not be enough to increase your knowledge. You must continue working and learning with no thought of your grade."

All of this is something I must improve on and I can also see the importance of teaching my children this vital concept. . . . Now that these connections have been made, my actions need to feed them so they can bear fruit in my life.

Tutu Helper

Couldn't resist this picture this morning. . . she loves tutus and her morning job of washing dishes (just enough to go in the dishwasher).

Until. . . .

As I listened to Elder Bednar's conference talk while walking the track the other day a scripture he recited caught my attention. Suddenly my mind left his talk and took a little detour. The scripture? Matthew 2:13. It says "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." I imagined Mary wondering, perhaps to a worry at times, when they could go back. Here is a little conversation I saw in my mind (with modern day intonations and reflections of my patience, not Mary's)
Mary: Did the angel give any indication as to how long we would be in Egypt? A few weeks? A few months? A year?
Joseph: No, he only said to flee until I tell you you can go back.
Mary: I think I could be a lot more relaxed about this whole thing if I just knew how long. Do we buy a house? Do we rent?
Joseph: We're just going to have to do the best we can until we hear word.
Mary: Yes, but should we plant a garden or spend our time on other things? Should you find a job or should we live off of savings?
Joseph: Ways will open up for us to sustain ourselves for as long as we are to be here. At least Jesus is safe.
Mary: Yes, but. . .

And then my mind thought about myself and how I cope with uncertainty. Ashamedly, I often spend my time consumed with worry, so much so that nurturing as I should takes back seat. Meals may get on the table and dishes may get washed, but the loving care of teaching and talking and nurturing doesn't receive full attention. Then I thought about the passage that led me on this thought train. . . it said Jesus was a "young child". The most formative years. The years when language is developed and testimonies begin. . . .Surely Mary could not and did not allow her concerns to over power her role as the Mother of the Savior. And that thought put me right back on track for Elder Bednar's talk. . . .the things I must do to be a better nurturer.

Still so much to learn and so many improvements to make.

State Capitol

Chandler is our history bug and ever since his trip to the state capitol with his 4th grade class he has been begging us to go back. So we took a day during spring break to go. It turned out more awesome than Chandler could imagine. He chatted happily relaying facts he had learned on his previous tour as we looked around. (We missed the guided tour by 9 minutes.) When we got to the 3rd floor we were able to look in the House of Representative room, but the court and senate floors were closed. Then out of curiosity, Grandpa Waddoups peeked his head in the Senate receptionist office and asked if Michael Waddoups was in (he is Jerry's nephew and the President of the Senate.) It wasn't likely as the senate meets from January to March, but as luck would have it, Michael had come into town to meet with the ambassador from Denmark that morning and was just heading out. He kindly gave us a back room tour. The kids got to sit at the Senate President's chair, see the reception area for official visitors, go in his office, the Republican caucus room and the Supreme Court. It was exciting for all of us, but thrilling for Chandler.

This is on the senate floor. Tessa on the President's chair. Chandler on the President's chair. The kids, except Greta, as supreme court justices.In Michael's office. . . . Chandler's teacher wasn't up to date on who the President of the Senate is and told the class that it was Senator Valentine. Chandler tried to convince him otherwise, but without success. So now he has proof! Michael signed a "Utah State Senate" ruler, gave him a business card and posed in a picture for him. Just because they are both so cute!

One final little story from our visit that impressed me. . . .Jerry asked Michael if he was going to seek reelection. He said he wasn't. He told about talking with someone in the missionary department at the church a few days previous and told him that he wanted to go on a mission. This man was very excited and said, "I think I can get you a really good public relations mission." Michael said to him, "Oh, no, I listened to Elder Rasband's talk in conference *very* carefully. It is the First Presidency who assigns the missions. I will serve where ever they assign me."

(And now I can say that I know Michael Waddoups to everyone who asks me if we're related!)

Not going for popularity here. . .

My teenagers are not super fond of my quote board. . . .while they tolerate it if I quote other people, it's not very acceptable in their eyes for me to put up my own words. I have to be famous to able to be quoted! Their complaints fall on deaf ears because sometimes I have things to say! Poor, poor children!

I liked the quote on Michael Waddoups' desk, but I had something to add: (click to read small print if desired)

The original quote was "No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted".

On This Spring Break Afternoon. . .

While others are in warmer places doing exciting things, we are experiencing chilly weather and enjoying very ordinary happenings:

Cache taking a break from studying for his AP exam in Calculus (click on the picture to see his meticulous work--he is so conscientious).Caleb texting friends to see who can ride bikes or hang out.Chandler across the street in the neighbor's back yard.Tessa changing clothes again. . . and also getting ready to go out. While the slippers were a good choice for warmth, they were vetoed by me for outside play.
Meal preparations for company tonight.Greta cuddling up. . . she is such a cuddler!
I love ordinary spring breaks!

Decor in Progress. . .

I've lived in this house for almost 5 years and I'm just barely getting around to decorating the front room. It's been on my list, but I have two major hang ups. The first is deciding on what I want. . . What if I don't like it? What if I wish I would have done it differently? What if it's just down right ugly? And with me those are all a high possibility. Since I'm so slow and indecisive, I know it is something that I have to like for a really long time. The second hang up is closely related. . . I can hardly bring myself to spending money on something I potentially might not like. And so I've done nothing. Procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate. . .

Then last fall I stumbled across an idea I fell in love with and knew immediately that was what I wanted. Uncharacteristically I rushed out that day and bought canvases. What? I couldn't decide for years then suddenly I was willing to spend money without even sleeping on it??? Uncharacteristic indeed. So the entire room plans centered around those. Weird I know. I made tentative plans last fall for what I wanted, but decided to wait until after Christmas. "After Christmas" came and went and I realized my decorating plans were never going to see fruition. Between the Primary and Tessa it just wasn't going to happen. But one night in the wee hours I had a grand idea! I could hire the painting out! Not a new idea of course, but to our tight waddish way of thinking, it was unheard of! I pitched the idea to Tom and he agreed. Within the week I had my colors chosen and called a family friend who paints to help me out. (Any locals who need an excellent painter, call Josh Rich @ 801-310-1205.) I don't have any before pictures, but just imagine a plain white room with a nice wrestling-match-produced hole in the wall and a doggie scratched coffee table. Here's where I'm at right now:
(I'm showing pictures from two different times of day because the top color looks almost white in the day. While I really like it, I don't think I would have minded a little darker color on the top. I really like how it looks in the evening.) I added a chair rail and painted two tones and painted the table red. (Josh did my table and put in my chair rail too--Tom refers to him as my personal handy man! He's been teasing me that I'll be calling Josh to change my light bulbs now!) But he did a really good job and I'm so glad I didn't have to do them!!And because I'm cheap and won't pay for what I really want, I have to work and change things as I find them. . . .The clock was brown when I bought it. I spray painted it red then distressed it with glaze and sanding. The shelf was mahogany and I painted it brown, added black streaks and distressed. I wanted garland for the shelf but when I went to buy it, I wasn't willing to pay the price even with a 40% off coupon so I bought a few sprigs of greenery and wired them together myself. I need to add another little something on my shelf, but at this point I haven't figured out what that is.

I bought the decorative frames at DI and spray painted and distressed them. I wanted the silhouettes in them to be kind of a quilty look, but my skills in that department are severely lacking so I ended up making the silhouettes out of velvet paper and adhering with pop dots on glittery fabric. They look a bit cheesy, but it's what I've got now (although I do like the look they add to the room). I bought a basket at DI, spray painted it brown and made some balls for the center piece. Your opinions please: Do I need more red or brown in it or is it okay? And painted my stars red. (I can add some brown on them too--thoughts on that??) I thought about adding some ivy in between it all too. . .. And I got a new light fixture.Still on the list. . . refinish a chair I bought at DI to replace the rocker in the room, paint an old window frame for the other wall, decide what else I want to hang with the window frame and put up some sort of window treatment.

But the good news is that I'm really liking it so far. . . . Whew!