Puppy love

Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

This is what I witnessed when I chaperoned Nate's class on their field trip to This Is the Place state park. I won't say my jaw didn't drop because I did have the presence of mind to snap a shot before pulling him away. I shouldn't have been surprised. This is a kid who's love language is touch. He loves hugs and rubs.

Several months ago as I was going through his backpack, I came across a little note that was apparently left in his cubby: "Dear Nathen, You are sweet. From Alyssa." He insists that they don't love each other, just like. That's good.

Erik, listening in on our conversation, voluntarily added that he kind of likes Bethany, a girl in his class and also in our ward.

Kiersten then added that she was the target of Josh's admiration this week. I guess he changes a lot. He told her he thought she was cute with her hair down (this is a girl who likes ponytails).

I wonder what other information might come my way if I'm quiet enough and just listen.

50 random things about me and a few more

This was something that was being circulated on Facebook for awhile. It was really write 25 random things about you at that moment. I thought I'd give it some time to see what I came up. I was surprised at some of the things I remembered.

1. I detest leftovers. Rarely do I ever eat them. I'm thankful Tyler doesn't mind cleaning them up for me.
2. I have never used an automatic car wash.
3. I am in my dad's camp.
4. I've scuba dived once and hated it. I felt very claustrophobic.
5. My little brother hit me on the head with a hammer. Luckily I only need 2 stitches, but now have a cowlick there.
6. I love my fireplace.
7. I love chocolate milk and toast. It's what I live on.
8. I dislike shopping in any form.
9. On my left little toe is a toenail so small it looks like there isn't one. Lucky for me I only have to paint 4 out of the 5.
10. I love, love to vacuum.
11. Going along with number 10, I love love to mow the lawn. It must be the straight lines I'm attracted to. I get apprehensive when Tyler mows because he tends to go circular or weaves.
12. I love to be outside in any season but winter . . . working in my yard, camping, playing. I am an outdoor girl.
13. But I don't particularly like water. I'll wade, but swimming is not my thing.
14. It must be because when you get out you're cold and I really don't like being cold. Therefore I don't like winter.
15. I wore braces for 3 1/2 years and a headgear for 3 1/2 weeks. I refused to wear it any longer.
16. We always had a dog when I was a kid. Most of them were yellow labs named Lady.
17. I teach my kids piano.
18. I've rappelled.
19. I was a speaker at my high school graduation. I think I spoke about being the best person you could be.
20. I enjoy playing ping pong and tennis. Actually I've never played a real game of tennis, but I enjoy hitting the ball and serving it.
21. I once spent a Saturday and took a pre-LSAT test (law school entrance exam) with Tyler just to see how we'd do. I scored in the 48th percentile.
22. I don't like being late. It makes me antsy.
23. I've never had a broken bone, lots of jammed fingers from basketball and sprained ankles, but never a broken bone.
24. I enjoy baking, not necessarily cooking. Maybe because I love the dough more than the finished product. Growing up we were a family who would eat half the dough before baking. I even have a stash of cookie dough in my freezer for such urges.
25. I am the oldest in my family of six siblings.
26. As I was growing up, my parents often referred to me as a hermit because I spent so much time in my room, usually reading. I love to read. I can be in the middle of lots of books and will usually finish them all about the same time and then start over on a whole new set.
    
27. In reference to #26, I would consider myself an introvert, however I derive my energy from being around other people. I'll come home from a meeting or an activity ready to tell Tyler all about it. I often don't go to sleep for awhile afterwards.
28. I love pepper, especially on fried eggs and salads.
29. I play the piano, have played the organ, and am trying the violin.
30. I cleaned houses to put myself through college.
31. I had mono when I was in 2nd grade.
32. I was the 6th grade chess champion.
33. I eat ice cream just about every night.
34. My favorite dessert is brownies with ice cream and hot fudge.
35. I love to eat out but rarely ever get dessert.
36. I usually eat some form of chocolate every day. I try to keep peanut M&Ms around, but chocolate chips do in a pinch.
37. I don't like to scrapbook, but now that I've started I feel like I must finish.
38. I was on the seminary council in high school.
39. In college I once accepted a date from a 35-year-old man with a mustache, but ditched him when he came to pick me up. I had no way to contact him to tell him I was backing out. WHAT WAS MY 20-YEAR-OLD SELF THINKING?
40. I ran my first 5K when I was 32.
41. Once my date in college took me flying and let me fly the plane for just a moment.
42. I'd rather eat birthday pie over birthday cake.
43. My favorite pies are chocolate and banana cream.
44. When I was 14 or 15 I drove a tractor up our willow tree. I thought it was going to tip over on top of me for sure.
45. I've been to Lake Powell many times . . . for the fishing (striped bass).
46. I was a bald baby and a thumb sucker until I woke up one day and decided on my own not to suck it any more.
47. I rarely make it through an entire movie. I tend to fall asleep.
48. Basketball is my number one sport. I played church ball, played my sophomore year of high school and played co-ed intramural basketball in college.
49. I was fired from a job after one day and was never so happy about it.
50. My passport has taken me to Ireland, England, and South Korea.
51. My first airplane ride was on my honeymoon to Seattle. The plane ride was the highlight of the trip.
52. I've been river rafting down the Snake River when I was 12 years old.
53. I've had a child with cancer.
54. I've had a child with a cleft in the uvula (the little hanging thing in the back of your throat).
55. I detest wrapping presents. They turn out so badly I'm glad I can blame my kids for how ugly they look.
56. I love raspberries and peas, especially eaten right out of the garden.
57. Ty was my first kiss and even then it was when I had fallen asleep during a movie (refer to #47). I didn't understand what all the hype was about and even told a roommate I didn't care if we ever did that again. It's much better now.
58. My first concert was Sawyer Brown. I've since been to Steve Miller Band, Celine Dion, Counting Crows, Neil Diamond (I'm raising 3rd generation Neil Diamond fans), Jon Schmidt, and a U2 cover band that sounded like the real thing (I won't say "better than the real thing").
59. I had my dad for a seminary teacher and really learned a lot about the Book of Mormon. Since I was also the only one who really played the piano, I quickly learned how to play as an accompanist. That was rather painful.
60. I've shot a .22 and a shotgun only once and have been snow skiing only twice in my life.
61. My first "real" car that I paid for was a red 1991 Geo Prism. That car would have gone forever and ever. But when Ty got a company car we had to part with it. I would buy another one in a heartbeat.
62. I grew up listening to FM100 and win "Name that Tune" every time when we are in the car listening to FM106.
63. I am a weather watcher. I have to know what the weather is going to be like for the next few days so I can plan my gardening, shopping, etc. I plan my days around the weather.
64. I don't own a cell phone.
65. I like the smell of gasoline and laughing gas at the dentist.
    

Honeybirds

Ash's name for hummingbirds.

I know I should not let her start school without correcting her.

But.

I just can't.

Nathan tried the other day to tell her they were called hummingbirds, not honeybirds. She refused to believe him. And she refused to call them anything else.

This is one thing I want to hold onto before she's no longer my baby.

Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting

One of my favorite sessions at Women's Conference was a class on fasting by Sister Kathleen Perrin. Fasting is one of the vices in my life. I like food too much and it's hard to go without. I read a biography on Ardeth Kapp, and in it she tells how once a week she would fast. I thought about doing it because in doing it I know there is tremendous power. But after a couple of times life crept up on me and I am again doing just the monthly fast that we as Latter-day Saints do.

How to Teach Children about Fasting

1. Teach by example

2. Teach the joy of sacrifice

3. Fast with a family purpose

4. Teach about the needy

5. Serve simple meals

6. Give up favorite foods

7. Give up snacks at church (for little ones)

8. Base fasting time on age

I've struggled in the past knowing how to teach my kids, especially when it's not something I really enjoy myself. But I came up with a couple of traditions to help remember that it's Fast Sunday and to enjoy the sabbath, not just endure.

1. We make it pizza night the night before, complete with cinnamon breadsticks. I always began fasting as a child the following morning, and it was hard to begin a fast that way when you're already hungry. This way we begin our fast with a meal and a prayer where ideally we discuss what or who we could fast for. It doesn't always happen that way but it's how I envision it.

2. Fast Sunday meal is always a roast and potatoes. Awhile ago we discovered that cross-rib roasts are soooo good cooked in the crock pot for 8 to 10 hours. So Fast Sunday morning I get up and put the roast in and then we eat later in the day, not right after church. It helps extend the fast a little longer. So far my kids have not complained about not eating immediately after church. It was only a couple of years ago that I fasted for an entire 24 hours. And each time gets a little easier.

3. This Sunday is also our journal Sunday. I want my kids to be journal writers and record their feelings and happenings in their lives. I know they'll appreciate it later when they are older and will be glad they've written. To help facilitate this we make a treat to be eaten Sunday evening AFTER they've written in their journal. Erik allowed me to read his journal today and it was the typical I did this today and we did that, and I decided I want to help with their writing by giving them assignments once in awhile to write on a particular subject.

Why We Feel Our Fast Is Not Answered

1. We cannot fast and pray away someone's agency. As much as we would like to, especially when we see someone making wrong choices, it just isn't in the Lord's plan. We should instead fast and pray to understand the Lord's will; to change the things we can change; and for strength to face challenges, not for them to be removed.

2. We do not understand the Lord's timetable. Sister Perrin gave an example of a family who fasted and prayed for their eldest daughter who was not yet married, who had been on a mission, earned her doctorate, and was teaching college classes. She did end up getting married, but much later in life to a student in one of her classes who was quite a bit younger. Some things just don't happen when we'd like and we have to have the patience and faith to accept that. The Lord is in charge!

3. We don't recognize the answer.

4. We are fasting for what we want, not for what the Lord wants for us.

5. We fail to see the many ways in which we have been blessed. Sometimes fasting should be just for the bounteous blessings God has given us.

6. We don't receive the answer we expect. Another story was told of a young woman who suffered through her teenage years with migraine headaches. Again the family fasted and prayed and thought they were not getting an answer. In her early 20s the prognosis came that one of her kidneys was not functioning and had not been since she was very little and it would need to be removed. After the removal of the kidney the headaches stopped. It was definitely not an answer the family expected.

The Lord answers our prayers more so when we fast, and prayer coupled with fasting is the way to understand Heavenly Father's will for us.