Ramblings of the day

I'm almost finished with War and Peace. I'm at the end where Tolstoy rambles his philosophies on history. It is boring and quite a challenge to get through. I read Potok's "The Chosen" this weekend. An interesting way to educate. I started Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" today.

Dinner was something I pulled out of the freezer and re-heated. I don't remember what it was called. It was spicy with sausage. I've eaten too much candy today and feel really bad. Candy isn't good for me. I need more control. I made apple goodie as an alternative to candy.

I learned I should look at what Karen is wearing before I let her out of the house. Shakespeare made me sleepy. When the kids came up stairs I sleepily told them they could go outside. After coming in and out about a dozen times I was wide awake. Karen had managed to pull tights over her pants. She looked really silly.

The primary program is in two weeks. The kids had their lines memorized last week. On Sunday they got to practice, but they all got nervous up at the mic and forgot their lines. Fortunately Emily and Caitlyn can read.

On down the ranks

Yesterday Caitlyn and Karen were ill. Last night and today it is my turn. I think we're having waffles for dinner. We had plans this weekend. Tomorrow is the pumpkin walk at the grist mill. We were then going to spend Saturday with the grandparents. They have pumpkins to give us. If Emily and Eric will get sick tonight we should be able to go to the grandparents on Saturday. I am feeling lethargic. I'm glad I went around doing all sorts of household chores last night when I started feeling sick. I've made it to book 2 of War and Peace. Last night my dreams were of the Russian and French commanders having words with each other. Then they'd sing something to the tune of the 6th Article of Faith. That can get really annoying when it plays out in your mind over and over and over... Tomorrow will be a better day.

A Better Day

My grandpa called. It is his old car that had the missing keys. Turns out I should have talked to grandpa before paying a locksmith to make new keys. Grandpa has a spare set.

Aaron was ill last night. I realized my weird feeling is due to a clogged duct. I've got to deal with that before it turns very bad.

I got to my tomatoes. I canned a 16 ounce and an 8 ounce jar of tomato sauce. I think that is good for only two plants. The last two years I only got an 8 ounce jar. We used less fresh tomatoes this year. I feel relieved to be done with them.

Now, for dinner... I need to get my act together and make a monthly dinner plan. I hate dinner. I think we're having sandwiches since I am baking bread.

Christine

Ben's First Illness

Ben caught the stomache bug. It started last night just as it was bedtime. We passed a bad night. He is better today, but still not wholly recovered. He has eaten once that has not come back up and now is in a deep sleep which I must hold him for. I'll have to look for quick-cooking recipes for dinner tonight. I fear that the illness will spread throughout the family, starting with myself.

In other news, we gave up on the missing car key being returned. I hired a locksmith to make new keys. We must make duplicates and put them on separate rings.

Christine

War and Peace

After getting through the beginning of the book I find myself not wanting to put it down. It is such a long book it is aweful! To go along with it I heard Tchaikovsy's 1812 Overture on the radio today. If I don't post for several days you'll know what I'm up to.

A Fresh Start

As I intend to mention on my old blog, this is my new one due to my new gmail account. I've had the email account for months now, but I have finally decided to make my blog match. Blogger is of the same company of gmail. Although one can change their email address with blogger they will not allow you to change to a gmail address. You've got to start with one. I've gotten tired of logging out, in, out, and in to go to ,y blog and then my email. This will be much easier.

I've been meaning to mention my latest homeschooling method/philosophy. Last month after only a mere week and a half of k12 public school curriculum. I quit. My children were not loving learning and were not retaining information. Therefore I again picked up my copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education. I have again realize that this is the ideal situation for training minds. First we start by teaching the children the doctrines of the kingdom of God. That is what really matters in life after all. Then everything is taught by the classics through mentoring. I'm still learning how to do this, but my kids are happy, learning, and so am I.

This weekend we participated in the General Conference of the Church. After promising the children a granola bar for telling me 1 learned item for each of their years, they sat and attentively listened. (I was shocked.) Eric, my 4 year old boy desperately wanted that granola bar and managed to recite from memory (he does not read yet) the first and fourth Articles of Faith. Wow! Karen, my two year old repeated "Holy Ghost" every time it was uttered.

What I gleamed from conference was that there is much good in the world. If we spend a lot of time with the good stuff we likely would not have time for the best. We need to stop wasting our time on the good and spend the bulk of our time with the best. Entertainment should be used in great moderation. (This fits with my new spending time on what counts campaign.) We should write daily in a journal. I knew that, but I have resolved to do it yet again. We should serve more. I have a hard time with that one, but I'm going to. Last of all when The conference issue of the Ensign comes I shall read the talks to my children. If they can sit and listen live, they can listen again one talk at a time. Then I will learn what I forgot or what I slept through. I really didn't want to and didn't mean to, but staring at a screen makes me sleepy.

Today I called my former bell choir director. He was Aaron's too back before his mission. Our director, Brother Winkel moved to Utah shortly after I went off to college. He settled in a teeny weenie town. I searched the web and found him. We had a great talk. He's a good man. Unfortunately he donated his bells to a public school. The public school then decided to get rid of them because bell choirs are too closely related to the Christian religion. (Makes you say "huh?") So, the rumor is that his bells made to to the Tabernacle Choir. I'd like to find out the true story. Aaron and I both dream of playing in the Tabernacle Bell choir. It would be fun.