Day 81

Lydia was so excited that Emily said she would help her with her homework.  She told me that Emily would help her with her homework and then she could help Emily with hers.  I think it is so neat that Lydia thinks she can help Emily with her homework.  That is one really smart first grader and one really smart senior.  Lydia did really good and Emily was pretty patient with Lydia!  It's going to be so sad for Lydia that Emily and her friends won't be around next year to help her with her homework and play games with her. 

Day 80

I have been having the kids help me get the flower beds weeded and ready for new plants. I am really excited about getting some day lilies for the borders and some cone flowers and daisies in the center. I have just a few more areas to clean first and then the fun begins with planting and arranging plants in pots. I just love to see things grow. I'm looking forward to busy summer in the garden..

Day 79 Faces

Austin and Emily are working hard to get the dishes done before Bill gets home from work so we can have family home evening. However it may be FHE without Bill he has to work late tonight.

Notice how happy Willy and Lydia are outside playing in the beautiful spring weather. I hope they will get dishes done before the sky is all the way dark. But they are having way too much fun.

Day 78 Presidential Confusion

I love some of the things kids say. Today in sharing time we talked about some of the messages that the apostles and prophet shared with us during October conference. I sat by a four year old boy. He was active as most four year olds are. When Sister Gregory said president Monson the young boy in a not so reverent voice looked at me and said "Why does everyone hate President Obama?" so I quietly whispered to him President Obama is the president of our country and President Monson is the president or prophet of the church. He said, "Yes I know, but why does everyone hate President Obama?" He repeated it again in a not so quiet voice. I then replied, as I heard the sister behind me giggle, " I guess you'll have to ask your parents. I'm sure they will have an answer for you." Now I've been in visioning an interesting conversation started by a four year old about a president that no one likes in primary.

Day 77 Self Satisfaction

There are so many things that are done each day for which no one receives rewards are prizes. Many tasks like laundry, dishes, picking up, dusting, vacuuming, are many of the mundane tasks that aren't noticed or rewarded. Today I asked Austin if he knew how to work, at the time we were weeding the flower bed, and he said yes. Of course he was having a hard time doing the weeding or sticking to it for more than five minutes. In my mind I was thinking of the paper route I did everyday after school rain or shine, sick or well, homework or no homework, the papers were delivered. There was no getting out of it. I'm perplexed about how to teach that to my children. After we finished one of the flower beds and the boys had to get ready for the multi stake youth mini conference I was happy with the results of the efforts we had put into the now weed free flower bed. I asked Austin and Willy how they felt about how it looked they shrugged their shoulders and said it was OK or fine. There wasn't that feeling of self satisfaction I had felt. I thought about how that feeling isn't there and how work is suppose to build the self esteem. Sometimes when we are trying to work together and they are grumbling and don't want to do it, I wonder if the instant rewards they get takes away that feeling of personal satisfaction of a job well done. Well, I like rewards that I have worked for like my 10% key chain and my 25 lb reward from weight watchers. But the personal satisfaction is far more important then the reward. But my question is how do I help teach these two things how to work hard over a period of time and that the reward is in a job well done.

Day 76 Blooming

Yesterday Lydia asked me to take her picture in front of out weeping cherry tree that is right outside our front door. I tried but the batteries were both dead so today we took a picture. Notice the beautiful blooms! She is truly a beautiful bloom. Lydia has three loose teeth and can't wait to lose them. Unfortunately she won't let anyone touch them. They will probably hang there for along time unless something accidental happens to change their future.

Day 75 Food

I guess I'm a little hungry tonight. I went up and went to bed and was almost asleep when I realized the dog hadn't gone to the bathroom. So I decided she needed to go out. That's when I noticed that Emily's light was still on, so I encouraged her to go to sleep. That's when she asked me if I had done the blog today. Even though I am tired I thought "I've been doing this for 70 something days and I can't miss now. So now I'm here trying to concentrate on writing but I'm thinking about food. Actually not the vegetables in the picture but the blonde brownies Emily made for Seminary tomorrow. Thank heavens the brownies will all be gone before I get up for breakfast! Now the dog is whining and does want that potty break I originally had set out to do. Now the night tasks are complete and I am really going to bed this time! Enjoy Friday!