Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thanksgiving
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Eirik's first Tae Kwon Do tournament
Eirik had his first Tae Kwon Do tournament this week. He was tested against his peers on all the things he has learned thus far. Every child brought home trophies and it was plain to see on Eirik's face that this was a proud day! Paul has been sad that Tae Kwon Do consistently falls on days when he is working. So, on this day, I brought along our good friend Lizzy to help me. She was a lifesaver!
Yeah Eirik!!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Magical Painting Sunday Afternoon
On Saturday our ward's primary volunteered to host a primary activity about the temple at the stake center adjascent to the temple. While the children learned about the temple, the adults got to attend a session. What a great service!! It was great to get to go and ponder life with my husband while I was not stressed about my children.
Saturday morning was a strain. Joren's behavior was sapping all my goodness out of me. I insisted that the kids play outside for a while and I got out my best parenting book called "5 Spiritual Solutions" and re-read a chapter I had previously loved, then I asked the Lord to help me be more patient and loving to my kids. At the end of the chapter there was a suggestion that sometimes we have to ask for the help of the members of our ward or our families and friends to teach our children the lessons they might not learn from us. I asked the Lord to help Joren respond to someone at the primary activity. As we were having potluck dinner after the session a sister came up to me and told me how much she loved my children, how they are angel children. She said each Sunday she can't wait to hear the things that Joren says. She got a tear in her eye as she talked about how special they are. She told how as the kids were walking around the temple Joren was really cold and Eirik took off his sweater so he was wearing only a white shirt and put it on Joren so Joren would have two sweaters. I feel she was guided to share that with me in answer to my prayer because I did look at my children with more love after her kind words. I asked Joren later how much he believed in God, a tiny bit, a little bit, a lot, or a whole lot. He has been telling me for weeks that God is not real, but today he said, a little bit so I take that as an improvement.
After the kids had been indulged in quite a bit of TV time on Saturday I told them there would be no TV on Sunday and we brainstormed a lot of activities we could do to fill up our whole big Sunday. It was a great precursor to a wonderful Sunday afternoon. After a lunch, we got out the paints and my boys painted with me for over 3 hours. They were self motivated and so creative. Everyone was so nice and fun to be with. We had a great time! I think it was the first time I have actually worked on my own painting with my children and I am really excited about the progress! Then we all went out in the dark and had a late night (5:30pm) walk around the neighborhood. Grosse Ile has no street lights and it is a magical place at night. We are always uplifted when we get outside for a walk. Now that it is getting colder, we have missed more days and I think it is worth getting out there even if it is really cold because we all come home so refreshed.
We are loving reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories together at night. We are reading "Life in the Big Woods" What a great book!! I hope my kids really pick up the values in these books. They resonate with me in such a big way.
Saturday morning was a strain. Joren's behavior was sapping all my goodness out of me. I insisted that the kids play outside for a while and I got out my best parenting book called "5 Spiritual Solutions" and re-read a chapter I had previously loved, then I asked the Lord to help me be more patient and loving to my kids. At the end of the chapter there was a suggestion that sometimes we have to ask for the help of the members of our ward or our families and friends to teach our children the lessons they might not learn from us. I asked the Lord to help Joren respond to someone at the primary activity. As we were having potluck dinner after the session a sister came up to me and told me how much she loved my children, how they are angel children. She said each Sunday she can't wait to hear the things that Joren says. She got a tear in her eye as she talked about how special they are. She told how as the kids were walking around the temple Joren was really cold and Eirik took off his sweater so he was wearing only a white shirt and put it on Joren so Joren would have two sweaters. I feel she was guided to share that with me in answer to my prayer because I did look at my children with more love after her kind words. I asked Joren later how much he believed in God, a tiny bit, a little bit, a lot, or a whole lot. He has been telling me for weeks that God is not real, but today he said, a little bit so I take that as an improvement.
After the kids had been indulged in quite a bit of TV time on Saturday I told them there would be no TV on Sunday and we brainstormed a lot of activities we could do to fill up our whole big Sunday. It was a great precursor to a wonderful Sunday afternoon. After a lunch, we got out the paints and my boys painted with me for over 3 hours. They were self motivated and so creative. Everyone was so nice and fun to be with. We had a great time! I think it was the first time I have actually worked on my own painting with my children and I am really excited about the progress! Then we all went out in the dark and had a late night (5:30pm) walk around the neighborhood. Grosse Ile has no street lights and it is a magical place at night. We are always uplifted when we get outside for a walk. Now that it is getting colder, we have missed more days and I think it is worth getting out there even if it is really cold because we all come home so refreshed.
We are loving reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories together at night. We are reading "Life in the Big Woods" What a great book!! I hope my kids really pick up the values in these books. They resonate with me in such a big way.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
W HOP U (heart) YOORW COLSH (heart) EIRIK
Translation: "We hope you love your collage. Love, Eirik
This collage is actually all Joren's work, and it was not intended for his mother, but Eirik loves to give things away, even if they aren't his, and he knows I love art and that I love my children's drawings, so he made me this card and gifted Joren's amazing collage wall to me. Each drawing is a person, and they almost all look pretty near the same. They all have a head, eyes and two legs. He's not really interested in drawing much more than that at this time, but he has a story for each person and loves them each individually, just as I do. This wall is still growing and growing and growing. I think it is awesome!
Acorn Squash with pork Sausage
Tonight I made Acorn Squash with pork Sausage stuffing. (Delicious I might add). I used the acorn squash that Joren begged for me to buy at the farmer's market. Of course he did not know what it was when he picked it out and tonight after getting one look at the meal, he would not even come near the table. From around the corner I heard his little voice say, "I feel bad at myself for picking out that dumb acorn squash." Sadly, he went to bed hungry. Poor guy.
On Monday we had one of those wonderful family nights that I hope I will remember in clear detail when I am older. After dinner, we sat at the table and had a lesson about what reverence is. We talked about how when you are respectful and still in the forest, deer and squirrels might eat of your hands and if you are loud and obnoxious, you will miss the mysteries of nature around you. Then I compared that to how the spirit teaches us and talks to us. The kids listened long enough to hear all the stories and then have fun playing a game in complete silence/ reverence. After I bore testimony Paul turned off the lights and brought out the glow sticks and put on some awesome dance music and we all got crazy. It was the perfect mix of the things I love about my family. Good food/ spiritual talks and lots of fun.
Paul put the glow sticks on strings so we could swing them around and make a spectacular light show.
After my lesson Joren looked at me and said, "mom, you're wrong you know. God is not real." I sure hope that's just the 3 year old in him talking. I told him that everyone can tell him that God is real, but he will never know for sure unless he can feel it with his heart and he has to be reverent and listen to hear the spirit talk to him. He has a reckless and free spirit. He has discovered he can sit and draw for hours though. We do crafts every day and he is always asking if we can make something. I love it!
On Monday we had one of those wonderful family nights that I hope I will remember in clear detail when I am older. After dinner, we sat at the table and had a lesson about what reverence is. We talked about how when you are respectful and still in the forest, deer and squirrels might eat of your hands and if you are loud and obnoxious, you will miss the mysteries of nature around you. Then I compared that to how the spirit teaches us and talks to us. The kids listened long enough to hear all the stories and then have fun playing a game in complete silence/ reverence. After I bore testimony Paul turned off the lights and brought out the glow sticks and put on some awesome dance music and we all got crazy. It was the perfect mix of the things I love about my family. Good food/ spiritual talks and lots of fun.
Paul put the glow sticks on strings so we could swing them around and make a spectacular light show.
After my lesson Joren looked at me and said, "mom, you're wrong you know. God is not real." I sure hope that's just the 3 year old in him talking. I told him that everyone can tell him that God is real, but he will never know for sure unless he can feel it with his heart and he has to be reverent and listen to hear the spirit talk to him. He has a reckless and free spirit. He has discovered he can sit and draw for hours though. We do crafts every day and he is always asking if we can make something. I love it!
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