It’s the principle

I had an interesting Sunday today. Had a member of the Primary General Board come to our Primary for our Ward Conference. Fortunately everything went well.

We also actually arrived before the sacrament hymn. We did good today!

It sure is hard getting 4 boys (well I guess 6 boys) up, dressed, fed and out the door by 8:50 am). Though Alex is pretty self sufficient, I have to poke Dave out of bed, prod James into getting dressed, and coax Anthony into considering going to church and all that’s associated with that stressful topic for him. As for Samuel, I really should put him in a diaper only until we are actually heading out the door so he doesn’t make a mess of his clothes. And sometimes we have to do a quick diaper change as we are heading out. And for Benjamin I have to chase him around the house and wrestle his clothes on, and search for his shoes (even though he has about 5 pairs). Actually the shoe hunt and subsequent shoe struggle are a regular occurance on Sundays for us. (I bet that makes mom smile. I was always losing my shoes as a kid.) Then once we actually get to church I hear, “Mooommmm, I’m staaarrrving.” What happened to your breakfast? “I wasn’t hungry then.”

Sigh. Sundays feel like marathons. I have to remind myself, “Remember, we are teaching a principle to our children.”

Also this evening Lynette and LaMont and their families came to surprise me with a belated birthday celebration. (Since on my real birthday we were finishing our reunion and heading out of St. George. Which I thought the reunion with all my siblings and Aunt Elaine was celebration enough!) Dave helped arrange that – he’s so wonderfully sweet. It was a great time talking and laughing together (in between me helping Samuel after his 2 falls and goosebumps to his head). Kris and Aubrey filled Alex in on all the details of how to properly ask a girl out for Homecoming on Friday. Spanish Fork HS has 9 dances in a school year! Every month! Crazy expensive! I think Alex was getting a bit of information overload.

4th of July at Lagoon

Samuel playing in the water fountains
Samuel and Benjamin practice driving
and practice boating
Julles and James riding
LaReita, cousin Jessica, aunt Julles prepare to swing from the skies
The apparatus
Swinging by the moon
Swinging in the dark
Jessica, Julles and Benjamin battle it out
Fireworks show

Activities in June

Rub a dub-dub, three boys in a tub – after decorating themselves with markers (June 2nd)
Anthony’s primary class (? Maciel, Anthony, Bryson E, Stockton M – June 3rd)
Samuel grinning after a good meal (June 11th)
Mom discovers Samuel “reading” a book (June 14th)
James and friend in a community play
James and fellow officer (June 15th)
James and Meika – piano recital (June 16th)
Samuel, Benjamin, Anthony, James – future computer nerds (June 23rd)
That must have been a goooood, ice-cream (June 26th)
No, Benjamin, I don’t think he wants to share

Perceptions

It is interesting what kids perceive. Tonight James was reading about the Blackbird SR71 (an army plane). He asked how it was that the metal can expand and get harder with each flight. I said I didn’t know – but dad might know how that works.

“Why don’t you know, mom?”
“Because I’m not a scientist.”
“But you know how to be on the computer.”

I smiled and answered, “Just because I know how to use a computer doesn’t mean that I’m a scientist.”
“Really? But don’t you want to find out?”
“Not really, not right now. I’m putting clothes away.”

Perhaps another day I can google why it is that the metal expands and strengthens on the Blackbird SR71.

Anyone else know why?

But it was interesting that James thought I was a scientist because I knew how to do some computer stuff!