School Projects

I HATE school projects.  Truth is I hate school.  I was not a good student.  I went to school for the social aspect.  I never did my assignments, studied for tests, and I procrastinated all of my projects and papers until the night before - no matter how big it was.  For example lets say I had a math class (true story) that we were supposed to do one assignment a day the whole semester in a notebook and then turn it all in at the end of the semester - I wouldn't do ANY assignments until the day before the whole thing was due).  Part of me hated that I did it and swore that next semester I wouldn't procrastinate but part of me really didn't care because I saw the whole thing as just a useless game that we did to appease the teachers.   There were many times I would just be unprepared and not turn in the assignments or projects at all.  I am THAT student.  I actually have recurring  nightmares about it.  At least once a week I have a  nightmare that I am in school and I have a big project due that I haven't started.  I am so thrilled when I wake up and find out it isn't true. 

 These attributes didn't bother me terribly as a youth and young adult.  I don't really remember being mad at myself or really trying to improve.  But as an adult (and mother) it is one of the things that bothers me the most about myself.  I have worked on it in a lot of ways and thought that I had matured and learned (through motherhood) how to get things done.  I assumed that if I went back to collage right now I would do well and stay on top of my work.  

Well, I have discovered my worst nightmare - I have to go through ALL of school again through my children!  And it turns out I approach my children's education in the same way I approached my education.   The worst part is that even when THEY are on top of it, I procrastinate my little part and put them behind (like buying glue or something like that).  I have struggled and struggled through school projects for 3 years - always helping my children get them done the night before - not because THEY procrastinated but becasue I did.  Brock is not a procrastinator.  He comes home with a project that is due in three weeks and he says he wants to work on it, I literally say to him, "why would we work on that today, its not due for 3 weeks?"  He asks everyday and talks about it everyday and I get more frustrated with his asking.  Finally the day before we get it done - but not the way he wanted it done becasue I never bought the right stuff and we just have to make due with what's on hand - and he is disappointed and has often gone to bed very sad becasue his project is not what he wanted.  I am of course heartbroken and so mad at myself for my horrible procrastination and swear next time we will do it his way - then the next project comes up and its the same thing.  Whats wrong with me!!  (I sound like the WORST mom ever!)

Well, finally, after 3 years of struggling (and two days before Brock's big market days project was due that we had for a month and hadn't started), I went to Jason in tears and humility and painfully admitted my shortcomings and begged him to help me (it didn't take much begging).  He of course rescued me and we decided that HE would be in charge of all school projects.  I can easily make sure they get their daily homework done, but if there is a big project - it's all dad.

It felt like a thousand pound weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  We had 2 big spring projects due within a week of each other and Jason and the boys got them all done - the boys were so happy and it was all stress free.  Wow.  I don't have the words to express how relieved I am.  Jason truly saved me and our children from either becoming just like me or resenting me.

Brock had a "Market Days" project where each 3rd grader had to make something to sell to the student body.  They had to do a whole business plan and market analysis and keep "books". 

After going through several ideas that weren't working the way he wanted they settled on a catapult - that they named that Brocapault.  He did very well and sold out quickly.

Noah had a biome project due.  His biome was the deep sea.  He had to do a report, desk top display, and a skit.

He is on the very end.

Having all four kids in elementary school next year seems more doable now that I have Jason as my helper!

**Just so this post is a more balanced and you don't think I am ruining my children.  I am very good at getting day to day stuff done.  For example every day this summer from 9 - 10 we do school work and reading.  I have stations and we rotate every 15 minutes.  I help each kid with what they are struggling with and read with each of them.  We do this everyday - honestly.  And the school year is the same way.  We do homework daily.  They have NEVER not had their weekly homework done and are always prepared for their spelling tests.  In the school year we also do math, reading, and flash cards almost everyday even if it is not homework.  So I can do SOME things - but for some reason you throw a school project on top of all of that - and it is just too much for me.

Women's Conference

I love BYU Women's Conference.  It nourishes and refreshes my soul like almost no other thing does.  I love everything about it.  The classes.  The music.  The gathering of women.  The spring.  BYU campus.  The women I go with.  The service.  Eating out.  The growth.  The spirit.  The new ideas. 

I have been going to Women's Conference almost every year since I was 18.  I missed a few years when I had babies - but even some of those years Jason made every effort to get me there.  Once we moved to Colorado I thought I would never go again.  In the past I had never actually "gone" to women's conference like most women.  I went in the morning and came home after class.  This made sense because for the first 7 or so years we lived in Provo and then once we moved to West Jordan we would pack the whole family up and go down to my in-laws in Mapleton and we would spend the weekend there.  Jason still took work off and took care of the kids - but I still came home and spent the night.  So it never really occurred to me that there was an option for me to fly somewhere, get a hotel, eat out for all my meals, and really "go" to Women's Conference - I still feel like we are much to poor for something so extravagant in my life.  After the first year of missing Women's Conference Jason saw how sad I was to miss it and how much I needed my yearly cup filled.  He said I could figure out a way to go.  Well last year I still couldn't go becasue it fell on the week of Brock's baptism.  So this year we planned ahead, Jason got work off, and I went.  

I tried to get some people from Denver to come with me, but no one could figure it out with their kids (I am SO SO grateful that Jason was willing to take vacation days so I didn't have to "figure them out").  In the end I was happy that I didn't have anyone to go with.  I actually usually go to Women's Conference by myself and like it that way.  It is not really a social thing for me - it is all about the classes.  

One great thing about Women's Conference this year was flying out to Utah.  I had never "traveled" to WC before, so I had never experience that.  When I got to my terminal at the Denver airport it was full of women.  It didn't take long for us to realize we were all going to WC (it is easy to pick a Mormon out of a crowd).  We started talking about where everyone was from (all over CO) and who they were going to WC with and our poor/amazing husbands at home holding down the fort.  It was a great way to start off the weekend.  

This year was the first year I went and did the service projects at WC.  They have them right after the last meeting on Thursday and I was always in a rush to get home to my kids (and usually nursing baby) that I never stayed.  This year I had no where to be.  It was so wonderful.  I only could stay for an hour (I had planned dinner with some friends from high school) - but next year I plan to devote a lot of time there.  The spirit is so strong and it felt so good.

As I said earlier I usually go to WC alone but I also said I love the women I go with.  My mom has been going to WC for years and years with mostly the same group of women.  When I started going I never went "with" them.  But would meet up for a lunch or a class here and there.  It is wonderful.  I love the relationship I have formed with them and the knowledge I get from their stories, insights, and experiences.  They are great examples to me and they really make WC wonderful.  I went one year when none of them went and it truly was not the same.  The "regulars" are my mom, my aunt Jen, my mom's best friend Pat Thomas, and another friend, Jolynn Miles (but sadly she couldn't come this year).  We also got a great treat to have my cousin Elisa come for a day - it was so great to spend time with her!  She is in such a fun stage of life and it was fun to live vicariously through her.

Sadly one of my favorite things about WC is my notes and coming home and sharing everything I learned with Jason.  I just can't wait to get home and talk with him for hours about all of it - those are some of my sweetest memories.  But, sadly (again), I left my notebook on the plane ride home!!  I have called and emailed and filed a report - but no luck.   I was devastated (read: cried several times).  I had an action plan of specific revelation I received about things I needed to do - I only remember a few.  But maybe that is the point - there are just a few things I actually need to do.

This post wouldn't be complete without a shout out to Jason for making it possible.  This is not something I would have done with out him pushing me to do it.  I am grateful he knows what I need and always helps me achieve that.  I am grateful he likes staying home and doing the "kid thing" - it fills his bucket too.  He is a great dad and held down the fort perfectly - he even braided the girls hair for church!  He rocks!

Spring Soccer

We had the worst spring soccer ever.  We are supposed to have 8 games over 8 Saturdays.  Our firsts 4 were cancelled due to snow, we only ended up playing 3 on their regular days.  Sadly they play all of their make-up games on Sunday - so out of the 8 games Brock only got to play 4 of them.  I kept waiting and thinking Brock would want to play on Sunday - but he never really did.  We never really said, "you can't play".  We just asked, "Do you think we should go play in soccer games on Sunday?" he said, "no" - then nothing was ever really said again.  He would express anger and frustration when a game would get cancelled and rescheduled for Sunday - as did I.  He was a trooper - I think he even had a better attitude about it than I did.

This is also our last season with the "Bulls" and his coach.  They are changing the birthday deadline for soccer next season and he will be in a different age group than most of his team.  

Brock is a great goalie and played that almost every game.

We love watching Brock play!

Brock's Birthday

Right after Megan's birthday comes Brock's birthday.  When I first started having kids I inadvertently started a few birthday traditions that I did not mean to start.  One of them was having friend parties every year, another was making a really cool cake, and the third was birthday wall murals of about 100 pictures of them that is added to each year.  Well, after Brock turned 8 I announced to the group that after 8 we were only having friend parities every other year.  There was a lot of growling, and grumbling, and gnashing of teeth - but I was committed and stuck to it.  So this year - for Brock's ninth birthday was our fist birthday with out a friend party.  To be honest I was a little nervous and almost gave in (but I didn't tell them that).

Brock's actual birthday happen to fall on a school holiday (teacher something) so he (and his friends) were home all day.  Since it was his birthday I thought we should do something kind of fun (but not a party) so I we decided to take a walk to Seven Eleven and get Slurpees and then go to our local park and play soccer - just the 5 of us (me + kids).  Brock asked if he could invite some friends.  I emphasized that they had to bring their own money for a Slurpee and that this WASN'T a party.  In all we spent about 4 hours at Seven Eleven and the park playing games with about 10 of Brock's friends.  So I guess - he kind of did get a party.  

At night we had our little family party.  Brock wanted a ninja cake.

It looked more black in real life.  I am gradually lowering my exceptions for cakes.  They get lamer and lamer every year - but they haven't noticed yet.  I am hoping to go to yummy desserts instead of a decorated cake eventually.

Then he got a new bike.  He LOVES it.  He never really rode his bike much before - but now he rides this every chance he gets.  I have never been much of a "wear your helmet" type of mom - but now that his bike is big and he is high off the ground my gut tells me to have him wear his helmet.  So he does.

Megan's Birthday Party

When Megan grows up she wants to be an artist, art teacher, and a mom.  She loves to do art all day.  So for her birthday party we did an art party.  This party came together in about 34 hours.  I am the worst when it comes to planning my kids birthday parties - I always leave it to the week before - or even the day before.  I am grateful to parents who still bring their kids to their parties with only a day or two notice.

Her invitation

We painted wooden jewlery boxes.  It is wonderful having a preschool for activities like these.

I also had jewels for them to put on.

A painting party also fits well to a color/rainbow theme.  My preschool kids had recently made this hand print rainbow for St. Patricks day - so  brought it up to add to the theme.

Her cake

and for snack we did these rainbow fruit-ka-bobs.

And all the looks of a 6 year old Megan.

Bryn, Anyia, Jackson (the only boy), Madison (top), Megan, Addison, Nora, Sydney, Afton, and Zoe

It was a great party.

Megan's Birthday with Grandma

Megan got an extra special treat for her sixth birthday this year.  Grandma was here!!  She got taken out to lunch and shopping to pick out a present (Lego's) - now that we are in Denver nobody gets that kind of treatment on their birthday - lucky girl!!  Also for her birthday breakfast she wanted Panikakers (like crepes) and my mom is the Panikaker master (she is the one I learned from) - so of course grandma stepped in and made us all a wonderful breakfast.

Megan looks thrilled doesn't she?  Why are kids so weird sometimes?  She got this birthday crown at school that she got to wear all day - she insisted on wearing it almost all week.  It was pretty adorable.

A new bike!