Why the Bus was Late

Yesterday Johnny and I stood out in the cold for 20 minutes waiting for the kindergarten bus. We knew that we had not missed the bus because our neighbor picks up her morning kindergartener from the same bus Johnny gets on. Eventually we gave up and I drove Johnny to school (because Johnny complained so much about the cold). The bus driver informed Johnny that she was so late because a kid swallowed a penny, so they had to call and wait for an ambulance to come get the kid. Crazy. My response was around the affect that my kids better never do that!!! Ruth swallowed a penny once and John took her to the emergency room. Kate swallowed a penny (when she was a kindergartener, in fact) and John suspended all allowences. We are either meaner or just more experienced.

Great FHE Game

Well, we had a member of the sixth quorum of the Seventy come for our Stake Conference on Sunday. Indeed he was a great speaker that put the gospel very plainly. I believe that he even helped John and I a lot. But he also gave us a great idea for a Family Home Evening game that we tried out tonight. Apparently he had 6 boys and 2 girls. He told us to do family home evening regularly. He said he understands if we do not see the fruits of keeping this commandment now because he raised six boys. He mentioned that sometimes it was the family fight that started and ended with a prayer, and sometimes his kids listened while hanging upside down over the couches (we get that a lot). Then he said that sometimes they just played Samuel the Lamanite. We tried that tonight and absolutely loved the game. We turned our couch around. One person stood on the back of the couch telling everyone else to repent (that was Samuel the Lamanite). The rest of us stood on the floor and threw pillows at Samuel (we were the wicked Nephites and the pillows were our arrows). Everyone got knocked down as Samuel except John who caught the arrows, threw them back, and knocked over the wicked Nephites (that ended up being a fun pillow fight.). I think this is truly and inspired FHE game. We will try it again!!!!!

Dad Comes Up With A Good Solution

This morning Adam ran into our room with some of his sister's valentine candy (they give candy along with cards at school for valentines these days). Adam asked John to open the candy. John replied, "No. This is your sister's candy." Adam whiningly said, "But I want it!" John asked, "Adam, if I went into a store and there was some candy I wanted couls I just take it and eat it?" Adam in a very happy voice (maybe even a what a great idea voice) said, "Sure, Dad." Adam then ran off and came back with more candy. John said, "Adam you can not have your sister's candy. Stop getting into it. " Adam replied, "This boy candy!!" He apparently went and took candy from Johnny's Valentine bag. Of course we said, "You can not take Johnny's candy either. The problem finally got resolved when Ruth, Kate, and Johnny put their candy out of Adam's reach. John and I went back to bed.

Ruth's Math

Recently Ruth's math grade has gone down a bit, not because she doesn't understand what she is doing, but because she rushes and makes stupid mistakes. So I told her that she had to bring her homework done everyday and I would check it. I have been astonished at the math that she has to do. Ruth is in fourth grade. She is doing fractions, decimals, squares, square roots, and algebra. Some of this stuff, I didn't even see until I was in high school. In fact, problems with letters were not introduced until algebra and that was not even offered until high school where I lived. I am pleased that these concepts are being taught early now, and I am pleased that Ruth understands it so well. Here are a few sample problems:

1. One third of 84 students were being assigned to each room. How many students were assigned to each room?
2. 6742- (507 x 6)
3. 5^3/5
4. 200= 4 x B

My Complaining Session

Alright here are my complaints about being a mom. There is so much to do and see that it gets done all the time. I have to make sure that my kids eat and bathe and do their homework and learn their piano and exercise and get enough sleep and have clean clothes and beds and dishes and bathrooms etc. Of course there is the clean faces and clean teeth. I have to make sure that they are learning and developing regularly-- that often means spending time teaching them how to read or do their math problems or science problems. It also means teaching shapes and colors and working on their speech and drawing and coordination. They need to be played with and read to. There is also scripture study and prayer and church and teaching them to be nice and good and honest. But the worst part of all of this is they almost never want to do any of this. They do not want to take a bath or eat their vegetables or go on a walk everyday, or brush their teeth or do their homework, or read their books or sit for stories, or practice the piano. They do not want to clean up their messes and they don't want you to clean up their messes, but they complain when the house is a mess or their favorite outfit is not clean. They do not like coming for Family prayer or scripture study, or going to church or school. They want to be mean to each other, but to have everyone always being nice to them. All they seem to really want is to eat junk food, play video games, watch movies, and run around playing wild tackle tag. You always have to say do this and do that and your children always say no way mom or the nicer version-- do we have to?

Okay, I am done complaining. I really do like being a mother. I love my kids and I love it when they actually start to get what you are teaching them and more surprisingly why they should know or do certain things. But it is a long process. Heavenly Father must feel the same way about all of us. Yet, we are His "work" and His "glory". My children are my work and I would even say my glory most days.

Zealous for Zelda

This morning while I was posting a bunch of the previous blogs Johnny asked if he could play Zelda. I said that he could not until he took a bath. Johnny begged to take a bath in my room because the nintendo is in my room and he did not want to travel to far from it. I thought that was a bit silly, but knew that it would be silly of me to argue the point. When I finished writing the other blogs and came ino use my bathroom this is what I saw, well a litlle more than this. Astonished I said, "Johnny!!!! You did not get dressed." Johnny replied, "Mom, you only said that I had to take a bath." I'll have to tell Johnny that he only has to take a bath before he can go to school and see what happens. Or maybe when he is 16 I will inform him that he has to take a bath before he can go on his date. Oh the possibilities.

What Happens With Scissors

Before Adam played with scissors and after Adam played with scissors.