The kids are glad to start their week off for Thanksgiving vacation. Each of them have projects they are supposed to be working on this week for school. The girls still have piano lessons and Johnny has to get ready for his first concert performance coming up in early December. Then there's the dreaded holiday homework.
I myself have class today and tomorrow (though tomorrow's classes are online at my leisure and I won't have to go anywhere!). I have a ton of homework and quizzes that I intend to do ahead of time so that I can start getting ready for finals. I also have a lot of reading to do for the national foundation I sit on the board of. Our conference call is happening a week from Tuesday.
Kelly has a date today. Can I just say, "Yikes!" Her second one with the same boy since she turned 16. Tuesday and Wednesday, we'll be working at the Bishop's storehouse. The kids have been looking forward to it.
We'll probably stay on a bit of a routine...not let the kids sleep in too late and keep them off of the computer for most of the day. We have a ton of projects to work on at home, too...not the least of which is restoring order to the boys' room. I'd like to paint their bathroom this week and investigate how to put tile backsplash up behind their sink in the bathroom. I also need to finish the unfinished bookshelf I purchased and move things around in their bedroom so that it will be easier in the future for them to keep things orderly.
And as the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, we'll be busy working on yard work as well. We have mowing, edging, and weeding to do. The chicken coop needs a good cleaning (no more eggs till spring because my chickens are too old.). I'm debating about whether or not to eat the chickens...or rather, let others eat them since my kids probably wouldn't.
For thanksgiving, we invited our good friend Keith and his roommate and several others who might not have a place to go for the holiday. We'll be eating early so that Erin and Nick can join us if they would like. I haven't had the kids at my house for Thanksgiving in about 5 years, so it feels a little weird to be celebrating ON thanksgiving. I've been the person without a place to go on Thanksgiving for several years, though last year my friends Kelly and Dave invited me to their family's home in Visalia.
I'm sure we won't get to do everything we planned. And I'm hoping that there will be lots of unplanned moments of joy!
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Johnny and the Clarinet
Last school year, Johnny took a great interest in learning to play an instrument. I love to see the kids get interested in music...I think music is a tremendous blessing, and being able to create your own music is a gift not just to that individual, but to others around them. Joe is learning to play guitar, Kelly is learning piano and ukelele, and Laine is studying voice and piano. Johnny decided he would like to learn to play the clarinet (like his older sister, Erin).
I obtained a clarinet and paid a few hundred dollars to get it properly conditioned. I spoke to the music store about lessons and bought reeds. Then school started and we asked for information about beginning band. Johnny picked up his clarinet and tried blowing through it. Not a sound. He tried pushing some keys...still no sound. He became anxious about missing class to take music lessons at school. He thought he would look dumb if he couldn't even make one sound. He demanded to quit band. I made a deal with him...if you still can't make a sound after one month in band, then you can quit.
Every day, especially when he's upset with his father, he gives me grief about practicing clarinet. Yet, we long since passed the one month mark, and he's not only making sounds, he's making music! He was half-hearted in his practicing, and I wanted to step it up a little, so I told him that I would pay him a penny a note during practice time. (See, he's already making money off of music!!) His practicing stepped up dramatically, and he's doing much better. I told him we were committed for a year. I'm just hoping that he eventually comes to like being in band and that music can take hold in him.
I obtained a clarinet and paid a few hundred dollars to get it properly conditioned. I spoke to the music store about lessons and bought reeds. Then school started and we asked for information about beginning band. Johnny picked up his clarinet and tried blowing through it. Not a sound. He tried pushing some keys...still no sound. He became anxious about missing class to take music lessons at school. He thought he would look dumb if he couldn't even make one sound. He demanded to quit band. I made a deal with him...if you still can't make a sound after one month in band, then you can quit.
Every day, especially when he's upset with his father, he gives me grief about practicing clarinet. Yet, we long since passed the one month mark, and he's not only making sounds, he's making music! He was half-hearted in his practicing, and I wanted to step it up a little, so I told him that I would pay him a penny a note during practice time. (See, he's already making money off of music!!) His practicing stepped up dramatically, and he's doing much better. I told him we were committed for a year. I'm just hoping that he eventually comes to like being in band and that music can take hold in him.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Change is in the air!
I've been working my tail off in all of my classes. Each one keeps me busy, and it seems I always have flash cards in my hand trying to get my brain to absorb all of this new information.
In the midst of all this study, many things go undone...dishes, mopping, yard work, etc. I try to focus in and get my work done, but every once in a while, all those "undone" things start buzzing around in my head and I can't stand it anymore. At what is usually a very bad time (like right before a test) it reaches a tipping point, and I find myself unable to concentrate because all I can think about is tackling those things that need to be done.
Guess what? I'm at another tipping point. First, it was tackling the pile of laundry. Next, it was motivating my son to sweep the patio and put away a few things that shouldn't be hanging about. Today, I'm purging paper and filing things away so that I can once again see the top of my desk. I have the kids plugging away at the dishes, and by tomorrow night, I will have mopped the floors.
The bad part about all of this is the timing: I have two writing assignments due tomorrow and a test, plus my presentation on cancer for my psychology of disability class. I also have to go through depression screening for extra credit (even though I already know the answer to that one!) and get Kelly and Joe to the lab for lab work. I have a test on Friday as well.
However, if I don't do what my brain is telling me has to be done, I won't be able to concentrate on learning anything! What a dilemma.
I've also been trying to get more exercise into my schedule. I'd like to do Yoga with Laine a few days a week because she is REALLY stressing out about school. And I'd like to try to walk two miles a few days a week to get myself a little healthier. I've given up on losing weight...I can't seem to do it, but at least I can make my body more fit. It would be a LOT easier if I had someone to walk with.
On top of all of this, I keep having the feeling that there is a big change coming. I've had this feeling before and I've been right many, many times. I'm trying to pray about what to do in order to prepare for the future. unfortunately, one of those things that I set aside (unintentionally) for a bit to concentrate on school work has been scripture study (except family scripture study...we almost always do that!). So another thing I'm trying to put back in my schedule is personal scripture study. I'm hoping to be more in tune with the spirit as I work through all the problems and issues facing me and my family.
I guess we'll see what happens! At least my house will be more organized when the change hits. ;-p
In the midst of all this study, many things go undone...dishes, mopping, yard work, etc. I try to focus in and get my work done, but every once in a while, all those "undone" things start buzzing around in my head and I can't stand it anymore. At what is usually a very bad time (like right before a test) it reaches a tipping point, and I find myself unable to concentrate because all I can think about is tackling those things that need to be done.
Guess what? I'm at another tipping point. First, it was tackling the pile of laundry. Next, it was motivating my son to sweep the patio and put away a few things that shouldn't be hanging about. Today, I'm purging paper and filing things away so that I can once again see the top of my desk. I have the kids plugging away at the dishes, and by tomorrow night, I will have mopped the floors.
The bad part about all of this is the timing: I have two writing assignments due tomorrow and a test, plus my presentation on cancer for my psychology of disability class. I also have to go through depression screening for extra credit (even though I already know the answer to that one!) and get Kelly and Joe to the lab for lab work. I have a test on Friday as well.
However, if I don't do what my brain is telling me has to be done, I won't be able to concentrate on learning anything! What a dilemma.
I've also been trying to get more exercise into my schedule. I'd like to do Yoga with Laine a few days a week because she is REALLY stressing out about school. And I'd like to try to walk two miles a few days a week to get myself a little healthier. I've given up on losing weight...I can't seem to do it, but at least I can make my body more fit. It would be a LOT easier if I had someone to walk with.
On top of all of this, I keep having the feeling that there is a big change coming. I've had this feeling before and I've been right many, many times. I'm trying to pray about what to do in order to prepare for the future. unfortunately, one of those things that I set aside (unintentionally) for a bit to concentrate on school work has been scripture study (except family scripture study...we almost always do that!). So another thing I'm trying to put back in my schedule is personal scripture study. I'm hoping to be more in tune with the spirit as I work through all the problems and issues facing me and my family.
I guess we'll see what happens! At least my house will be more organized when the change hits. ;-p
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Another Year of Fun Ahead!
This school year began with a bang! Kelly began 11th grade, and has decided all on her own to focus on her schoolwork because she wants to get her learner's permit (yikes!) and I told her she had to have a B average at the end of the first semester in order to do so, then maintain a B average to keep it. She's still learning piano, attending seminary, and participating in the Young Women's program at church.
Joe just began 9th grade at Bullard High this year. He really wants to graduate from high school a year early so he's hit the ground running and is working hard to keep his grades at straight "A" levels. His STAR test last year showed that he scored advanced in everything, and he earned a perfect score in science. That's not too surprising given how much he loves science.
Laine is in 7th grade this year, still at Bullard Talent. She tried out for the improv team again this year, and easily made it. She also tried out for the middle school play again, and she has been accepted into the play (Seusical Jr.) but we don't know which part she'll get yet. She had a lot of anxiety about this year, but I think she'll do great! She's excited to be taking stagecraft this year (prepping for the play) and jazz dance at her school in place of PE. She also scored advanced in everything on her STAR test.
Johnny is at Manchester GATE, and he's loving it. He was assigned to a teacher that we had heard some negative things about, but it seems like he really likes her. He's going to try beginning band this year, playing clarinet. He'll be taking some private lessons for a while until he feels comfortable. He's also considering cross country, which I think would be very good for him.
It's going to be a busy year!! We're looking forward to lots of good things!
Joe just began 9th grade at Bullard High this year. He really wants to graduate from high school a year early so he's hit the ground running and is working hard to keep his grades at straight "A" levels. His STAR test last year showed that he scored advanced in everything, and he earned a perfect score in science. That's not too surprising given how much he loves science.
Laine is in 7th grade this year, still at Bullard Talent. She tried out for the improv team again this year, and easily made it. She also tried out for the middle school play again, and she has been accepted into the play (Seusical Jr.) but we don't know which part she'll get yet. She had a lot of anxiety about this year, but I think she'll do great! She's excited to be taking stagecraft this year (prepping for the play) and jazz dance at her school in place of PE. She also scored advanced in everything on her STAR test.
Johnny is at Manchester GATE, and he's loving it. He was assigned to a teacher that we had heard some negative things about, but it seems like he really likes her. He's going to try beginning band this year, playing clarinet. He'll be taking some private lessons for a while until he feels comfortable. He's also considering cross country, which I think would be very good for him.
It's going to be a busy year!! We're looking forward to lots of good things!
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