Homework For Me

In the age of computers and email and technology, can't someone figure out how to make those pesky back to school forms match our current technology? I mean seriously, do I really have to fill out the exact same information on a sheet of paper for every one of my kid's teachers. Let me add a little perspective. That is seven teachers per kid/ five kids. That is thirty five sheets of paper. Then don't get me started on what I had to fill out for the school, times 2 for every kid. There were two emergency cards for every kid. That is 12 forms. Then came the forms about what I wanted to happen in an emergency, the forms that gave permission for them to take pictures of my kids, the walking field trip permission form that I will have to fill out again, whenever there is a walking field trip. Really? Is there not a better way to handle this? Then came the reams of paper of information, that all ended up in my recycling bin. Can't we send that information out on email? Then it is never lost, by me or my kids. We can just go look it up again.

So, millions of forms filled out, three and a half hours of my time, and major hand cramps later, is anyone surprised that I am not in a very good mood?

First Day of School 2010

They are off. My house is completely empty and quiet. Too weird. Last year, when I got the camera out for back to school pictures, the kids ran from me. I was not a happy camper. So yesterday, at our family planning meeting, I informed the kids that they will pose for pictures. Then to ensure that they did so, I told them about what would happen if they did not. I told my high school and middle school kids that I would come to school with them with my camera and take pictures there. They were surprisingly willing to pose this morning. Mmm, I wonder why?

Eating Breakfast

In order of departure time: High School 6:35 am

Senior

Junior

Freshman

Middle School 7:15 am

Eighth Grade

Seventh Grade

The last, first day of Elementary School in Gartside Family History, 8:05 am

Fifth Grade

My First Design

About eight years ago I met a very fun woman, who taught me how to smock. I had been sewing dresses for my girls for many years, but this opened up a whole new creative world for me. I subscribed to a smocking magazine that came with patterns and designs, and I always used that to make the dresses. I fell in love with smocking. In fact, sewing became annoying to me, and the smocking was the thing that made me happy.

I started using this skill to make dresses for my nieces, when they turned eight and were being baptized. It was wonderful, because my own girls outgrew smocking, and this gave me an excuse to smock again. It also was a way for me to be apart of my niece's baptisms without being able to be there. Then I ran out of nieces to sew for, until this year. My brother was married earlier this year, and I was completely excited to find out his new wife had a daughter turning eight.

I went looking for my supplies to make a dress, and I have no idea where all my patterns have gone, but gone they are. POOF as we say at our house. I did not have time to order a new one, so I decided to design my very first smocked dress. I had to modify a pattern to include a smocked front, and then plan out the design of the smocking. It was so fun to get out the graphing paper from my kids math classes, and put it to good use designing a dress.

Tonight I finished the smocking, and I wanted to share my very first design. It is probably not all that original. There are really only so many things you can do with smocking stitches, but it was my combination of those stitches, and I am happy with how it turned out.

The dress has to be done and in the mail by Friday, so I will be making good use of a kids free house next week. Once I am finished, I will update with a completed dress picture. My sister in law has also promised to send pictures of my niece in the the dress, so I will post that when I get it.

Studly Gospelicious

This title is the description that my girls new seminary teacher used to describe Nephi. How lucky are my girls that they will have a teacher that is going to be fun, yet knows and loves the scriptures. I am very excited for them, and even a little envious that I do not get to listen to him every morning. It is a pretty big sacrifice on the part of these kids to give up their sleep, to study the scriptures. I know it has paid off in a huge way for my daughters. Anytime they missed seminary, they would say their day did not go well. I am also really grateful to the teachers who give up their sleep and spend hours in preparation to enrich the lives of my children. Starting the second week of school, our household will be waking up a lot earlier than I would ever choose to be up, but it is well worth it. Even though I will be the drowsy parent driving at 5:50 in the morning, I am so happy to do it.

Announcing....

ASHLEY CUT HER HAIR!

I did not think I would see the day when Ashley would cut a significant length off her hair. Well, she did it yesterday, and she looks totally adorable in her new hair do. She even got bangs and layers. She was three years old the last time her hair was cut. What is even more amazing is even though she cut off about a foot of hair, she still has long hair. Tell me what you think.

Photography

Ashley planted a sunflower garden in our front yard this year. They are all kind of falling over now because of the rain. Today, a butterfly found her flowers and visited for awhile. Ashley grabbed the camera and started shooting pictures. They turned out really well, so I thought I would share some of her pictures.

We Believe....Stuff

Yesterday in church we were talking about the law of the land. My church has thirteen Articles of Faith, that as the Mia Maid teacher said, are the bare bones of what we believe. The teacher asked if any of the girls knew the 12th article of faith. One girl answered, "We believe .... stuff." This just made me laugh. I told her that was going to be the title of my next blog. She is right, we do believe stuff, lots of stuff. For me, it is the lots of stuff that I believe that give me a guide on how I live my life, that makes me very happy. I make lots of mistakes, but I find that when I am living my life by the principles that I have been taught from a very early age, and that I continue to learn about, I am happy.

More than that, it is the guide by which I have raised my kids. What a relief it is as a parent to be able to know what decisions should be made before the stress of the moment. You know what I mean. It is that moment when a child wants to do something, and you are not sure what is right. It is terribly difficult to make the right decision in the middle of pressure from a child. Here is one example. One of my girls came home from school with an advertisement for a school dance. She was in the 5th grade. I was able to tell her immediately that she should not go because we are taught at church that a boy or girl should not go to dances until they are 14 years old. The one exception to that is if it is a family dance that everyone is participating in. I know that there are many that think this is silly. For me, it is protection for my kids. Let's take the above daughter. She has never been put in a situation with a boy that she was not able to handle in a mature manner. It also has protected her from getting boy crazy before she is mature enough to handle a boy. My kids are also not going to date before the age of 16, and at that point only group dating. What amazing protection for a teenager. When the hormones are raging, and they are a little crazy, there is built in protection in numbers. Really, is hanky panky going to be going on with an audience? I think not. It also allows them to avoid adult situations before they are ready. They just get to be kids. When you think about it, childhood is so short, and is a time to be treasured and not rushed. There is time later for relationships, marriage, children and responsibility.

So, I am grateful for the stuff I believe. It has blessed my life and the lives of my family in immeasurable ways.

Eight Kids

What is the difference between six kids and eight? Not a whole lot, when you get two added to your group that are sweet, easy and fun. We have two little girls visiting our house for the weekend. It has been so fun to have them here. They have joined right in with everything we are doing, and it feels like they belong here. I will be sad when they go home.