Being Sick

I am sick.

I can't stand being sick, but being prego and sicko and having this vein thing/alien growing out of the side of my leg is totally debilitating me. Add to that Hayden, AKA GREMLIN is up to his old tricks and has now caused the malfunctioning of the door locks on the kids bedroom and bathroom doors... which happen to be upstairs... far, far away from the comfort of my living room sofa. So I have been making a gazillion more trips up the stairs than I normally would to rescue him from the baby-eating dresser drawers, soap drawings on the bathroom floor that have trapped him in a *stand up, fall on butt* sequence, and the play make-up that belongs to his big sister.

Put up a gate you say? Oh please, do I really need to re-educate you all about the advanced mechanical and just plain brute force skills of my 18 month old Weapon of Mass Destruction? In great desperation I did attempt to put up a gate. 5 minutes later after much banging and wailing the gate came tumbling down the stairs in 2 pieces.

But alas, all this whining and griping will soon be over, for my knight in shining armor will come home in less than 4 hours and install new locks on the doors. I know he will do this without a complaint because he is completely aware that it is all his fault. Hayden got his advanced dexterity and mischievousness from his father - and his father, I am certain, received the "mothers' curse" that all naughty children receive at times of critical frustration. You know the one. "I hope you have a son as naughty and yadda yadda yadda as you!"

I will try to find something to be grateful for today... Okay. I am SUPER grateful to have my friend Carlee for a babysitter. My kids love her - probably more than they love me at the moment - and she loves my kids... And I am grateful the have the gospel in our lives. And I think it's very sad when wolves in sheep clothing use tricker and lies to *teach* people about Jesus Christ and how to be saved (according to the word of the Wolf). It's just wrong in so many ways and if I wasn't hired as the photographer at the wedding where said Wolf went off on a 45 minute sermon/born again revival extravaganza, I might have confronted this quack with a few choice words of my own - but I was STARVING and tired and working my way back towards being a quiet, tolerant person... and I REALLY, REALLY needed chocolate.

(...sorry for the rant)


So like I said, I am grateful for the gospel and for knowing the truth... and chocolate.

Teaching our Children

The New First Grade:Too Much Too Soon

This article says it all. I just wish I knew what I could do about it. I'm afraid that I will turn into "That" mother. You know the one I'm talking about. She's got her nose into everything, playing devils advocate, questioning authority, advocating for her children at all costs, asking the questions that everyone wants to ask but is too timid to. Hmm...it doesn't sound so horrible after all.

My six year old has been spouting off language that I just don't know about. I mean, I know she's growing up and all, but it's just weird.

Last night it was "Oh - My Bad," in response to having spelled a word wrong. Nothing horrible. Just weird to hear coming out of my daughters mouth.

This morning it was a very loud, "OH, MY, G*D - that is soooo weird!" I can only assume she got this from (A.) school, (B.) Disney Channel, or (C.) someone on the bus.

There's a family in our ward here in Florida that has started up a Cottage Style School called The Wilford Woodruff School. Tuition is high, but is waived for your kids if you teach there. It's somewhat similar to a Montessori style of learning but more akin to Homeschooling in a small group charter school, if that makes any sense. At least that is how I have perceived it from those I've talked to about it. It's tempting in some ways, but it also feels a bit isolating.

I guess what it comes down to , what it has always come down to , is that I really need to be reinforcing at home the stuff I find important for her to know. I just find it incredibly hard to compete with the 8 hours a day influence she gets at school.

Perhaps today I will make up some gospel-focused spelling words for her to learn!
Atonement would be a great one - I don't think I really understood the meaning of this word until I was like, 16.
Reverence is another good one - she really used to struggle with this, but lately she has become quite the little example for reverence - at least in sacrament meeting.
Faith would be a great sight word, as would Heaven, Baptism and Hope.
Integrity will probably be the first word we work on. It will also be the easiest to explain and for her to relate to.

So that's the plan for now.

On a lighter note, check this out - it totally cracks me up every time I watch it!