Say what?

I am working on the primary program for church again this year. I decided to switch it up this year. Typically I send home a topic and ask the parents to help the children write their own parts and ask that they send back their response in their own words. Well I found that I was becoming obnoxious with emails begging for responses. SO this year I gave each class a list of questions and asked for the kids to answer them during class. I loved the responses. Some of them were very touching (I tried to include them in the program) and others were just so funny. I had to share them here.

My favorite primary responses:

What does it mean to dress modestly? Wear a sweater –Girl, Age 6

What does it mean to dress modestly? Wear a moustache. Boy age 6

What is the word of wisdom? No mud, alcohol, drugs, chairs Boy age 6

Share an experience of how the Holy Ghost helped you: sum boy waes talking not goob and the Holy Ghost told me to leave. Girl age 7

Tell about your baptism. How did you feel that day? Awesome Boy age 8

What does it mean to dress modestly? Not put tattos

What helps you to know and decide which book, Tv programs, movies and music are good and wholesome? Read the title Girl age 6

What helps you to know and decide which books, Tv programs, movies, and music are good and wholesome? Samuel the Lamanite Girl Age 6

What does it mean to dress modestly? Like in clothes, sort of in the fall wear clothes that are kind of fashionable like your going to the temple or a party. Boy age 6

What is something you will do to keep the word of wisdom? Drink Milk Boy, Age 6

What is the word of wisdom? I know what it is, but cannot describe it very well. Boy, age 6

What helps you to know and decide which books, tV programs, movies, and music are good and wholesome? My dad chooses out the movies and he usually says that books are ok. We don’t usually watch TV Shows.

What are some ways you can show kindness to your friends? Be nice to them, start over on Zelda. Boy Age 4

What do you do or think about during the sacrament? Games; like church games Boy age 4

What are some things you can do to show love and respect for others? You marry; and be quite in class. Boy Age 4

I am trying to be like Jesus by: Cleaning the house ever Saturday. Girl Age 4

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered? I prayed for a toy- a helicopter truck, and I got it for Christmas. Boy age 6

Share a story about someone who prayed in the scriptures: Nephi- I don’t read the scriptures very much I read other books. Boy age 6

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered? I haven’t had a prayer that has been answered. Boy age 6

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered. At the hurricane I was having a nap and the thunder scared me. I prayed and Heavenly Father Helped me to not be scared. One time on the way home from swimming lessons it was raining really hard and we couldn’t see where we were going. We prayed and Heavenly Father made it stop. Girl age 6

What are some things you can thank Heavenly Father for? For going to a carnival at St. Mary’s Hospital yesterday. My family and my house. Boy age 6

What are some of the things you might ask Heavenly Father for? To not be sick so I can go outside and play and play Xbox. Boy age 6

How has the temple blessed your family? It’s made my mom and dad be sealed together and so they could have us. The same child was then asked: what does it mean to be sealed to your family in the temple? I don’t really know what it means. Boy age 5

What is something that you do to follow the Prophet? I help my brother when he needs my help. Girl age 5

Where does a mission call come from? The prophet (or Heavily Father)

Share a missionary story from the scriptures? The docter and covenants

Share a story of a time when you were protected by following the prophet: Someone pushed me out of my house when it was really windy, but my dad helped me back inside. Girl age 5

What is something that you do to follow the Prophet? Read scriptures- sometimes cause I don’t know how to read. Boy age 5

Where can we hear and read the words of our Prophet today? Be kind and be nice Girl age 5

Share your testimony of our modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson: We can share. Girl age 5

Where does a mission call come from? The mail Girl age 8

Censorship

We just came back from a trip and I plan to blog about it. I will get to that eventually, but I just saw this and chuckled. I thought I would post it and then at the least the stink ramblings will be gone.

I was looking at a website for ideas for my lesson on Sunday for the primary kids. I saw this post and had to read it 3 times to figure out what was being "censored." I would definitely call that a censoring fail.

Each cl[censored] is going to be [censored]igned a person on their roster that is inactive and they are making cards for them. I will then either drop it in the mail to the inactive children or deliver them. It will depend on the situation.

Here is a picture of Charlotte until I feel motivated to post again.

Stink paranoia...AKA sleepless ramblings

My friend Sarah and I both struggle with the wavy frizzy hair issue and she has posted some on her blog about it. I think it is a must read for anybody with wavy/curly/frizzy hair. Recently she posted some tips for taming the frizz and it began with a post calling into question the need for frequent shampooing and recommended just using conditioner with only occasional shampooing. The thought of this was too much for me, because I like to exercise and get very sweaty when I do AND I have a history of a serious stink paranoia. This post is about my stink paranoia

Most of these are so strange that I am laughing and i realize i should be embarrassed to share them (should be, but I'm not) Examples:

1) In elementary school I was always worried about bad breath. I got in trouble on a regular basis for chewing gum and if I didn't have any gum I felt the need to "test" my breath. I would lick the back of my hand and sniff it. If it smelled bad I would ask to get a drink of water hoping it would flush away the stink.

2) In Jr high I worried about my hair stinking. I would sit in class and rub my scalp and then smell my fingers to make sure my scalp didn't smell bad and most of the time it had a sort of oily smell (as I now acknowledge that any healthy mid-day scalp does). I was so annoyed by the oil smell I would wash my hair multiple times a day and even bought a shampoo called "Frequent Use" shampoo that was more gentle.

3) In Jr high my mom made me buy my own shampoo because I always wanted to buy more expensive brands for the smell.

4)In high school I needed extra credit for Spanish class and one of the options was to make salsa and bring it to class. It sounded like a great non academic way to get extra credit. I think it must have been the end of the semester and I had tons of things due, because I remember that I didn't start making it until really late at night. I didn't finish until after way after midnight. I was so tired that I skipped my shower the next morning, but unfortunately the smell garlic and onions I had been handling the night before was lingering on my hands. I still remember furiously scrubbing my hands in the bathroom and being really upset that I couldn't get the smell out of my hands. That experience still haunts me.

5) In College I started a habit (that may still linger even today) of taking a big whiff of my shoes when I take them off at the end of the day. My roommates asked why I did this and I told them it was to "assess the damage".

6) In graduate school we moved into a place that smelled like smoke (so much so that somebody at church said when they first met us they thought we had a smoking problem). I tried every conceivable spray, air filter, or room freshener. Eventually, I couldn't handle it anymore and we had to move.

7) After graduate school I was so happy that I could finally afford Tide and fabric softener because I knew my clothes would finally smell good. Initially, the fabric softener made me itch, but I kept using it because it made my clothes smell good. Luckily, I got used to the fabric softener and I don't itch any more.

8) Recently Rich and I have had arguments over going out to eat at an Indian place for dinner. I have really wanted to try it and Rich has REALLY REALLY wanted to try it, but on at least two occasions we have pulled up to the restaurant and I can smell the food coming out of the place. Sadly, I make Rich take me somewhere else because I don't want to stink through the movie.

9) My poor husband has been asked on multiple occasions to sniff my breath, armpits, hair, clothes or more recently chest (that sour milk smell is nasty) just to make sure I don't stink. Seriously, why does he put up with me!

Now, as if there ever was any doubt, you all know I am crazy.

Once again, I apologize for the ramblings...maybe I will try to put her in bed again and see if I can get more than one minute of sleep. At least she is cute!

5 am

Charlotte woke up at 2:30 to eat and instead of nicely falling asleep afterwards, like she usually does, she was awake, grunting and fussing. I was so tempted just to put her in bed with us, but then I freaked myself out with thoughts of rolling on top of her. I took her downstairs and tried relaxing/napping on the couch with her. She continued to fuss until I sat up and checked facebook at which point she conked out. I headed upstairs and put her in bed and slid under the covers excited to go to sleep. Not 1 minute later she starts grunting and fussing and is on the brink of screaming. So I am back downstairs entertaining myself on the computer and sadly nobody has updated facebook, google reader, pintrest, or gmail since I checked them at 3AM. Now you get to read my ramblings typed one handed....and yes she is sleeping soundly. First things first...cute pics of baby girl (all taken by my incredibly talented friend Alicia at http://www.aliciahphotography.com/):

Legend of the canning ring

Legend has it that long, long, long, long ago, when my parents were in their youth (Just kidding mom and dad--only one long in the long ago series), a joke was made about canned goods and a wedding ring. My father grew up in a home where his mother and sisters would lovingly can fruits and vegetables every year around harvest time. This made for a wonderful winter of fantastic canned peaches, pears, tomatoes, beans, etc. My dad felt that store bought canned produce couldn't hold a candle to the home canned goods. I think that anybody who has had home canned peaches vs. store bought cans would ABSOLUTELY agree. Anyway, my mom grew up in California just outside of LA and did not grow up canning, so when they were dating he mentioned that he would want to marry someone who could can food. She told him she would have to get pretty massive ring to make a canning requirement in the marriage worth it. Luckily for her, she got a beautiful engagement ring despite not learning to can. As years went on she finally did learn to can peaches, pears and tomatoes. She did it yearly as we were growing up. Legend has it that one day my dad came home from work and found my mom outside with my sisters and myself canning peaches. That Christmas my mom received a strangely shaped package. She opened it and it was a can of her canned peaches with a little jewelry box on top. It was some bling...and if I must say it was a very beautiful ring with much shininess. She got her big ol' ring and we called it her canning ring. My sisters and I are trying to figure out what we need to do to get that in the will ;)

This summer Rich decided he wanted to learn how to can and asked his grandma, Mammie, to teach him how. Two weeks ago we went to Harrisonburg and he learned how. He canned 8 bottles of green beans and 6 bottles of tomatoes. Mammie said they are "blue ribbon bottles". I think he deserves a canning ring. Maybe the one below is adequate.

As promised here are some pictures of Charlotte (she is a cute little smiley baby, but she also knows how to scream). On her first full day of church Rich noticed that we were all wearing navy blue. We thought this deserved a family pic.

Job Update

Rich has started working temporarily (with a more long term possibility for the future) with a friend of ours from church. He started last week and did two half days. If you ask me (and essentially, by reading this post...you did), I think that is a great way to EASE into it. They will both be finding out if it is a good fit and if there is enough of a patient load to keep both of them busy. Our friend has been really kind and told Rich he can keep looking for other options too, but we are hoping this will work out.

I told Rich he had to do the first day of work pictures. He rolled his eyes and then agreed.

Things I am learning

I have learned that even if she has spit up 2 times already she may still have some projectile vomit reserved for my face. The other morning I brought her into bed with Rich and I so we could stare at her...because that is what we do now. I put in this picture to give you a gauge of distance (Rich said she was even 3 or 4 inches further from my face). She was just looking around and being very content then out of nowhere she yaks all over my face, my pony tail, my pillow and the sheets. AWESOME!

I learned that baby poop can shoot with amazing velocity. This face should be a big warning to me. Red faced little grunt= take cover. The other night I was changing her diaper and I made sure I put her clean diaper under the dirty diaper, so I thought I was safe. Not so my friends. She managed to shoot a lovely mustard yellow substance all over her changing pad, part of the dresser and onto my makeup bag that was sitting on the dresser.

Speaking of poop...I have learned that blowouts can happen in the front. The shear physics of this are still a mystery to me.

I have learned she is already refining her daddy's girl tricks. I am sure she will use this face on her dad in the future to get her way. I am already picturing this, "please daddy....I will be so sad if you don't buy me these $500 jeans." Insert sad face here.I have learned that it doesn't matter how prepared I am, if she is screaming that will trump all my preparation. AND don't rush a feeding.

Last Sunday I thought I was on top of it. Rich bathed her and dressed her and she spent time being adorable for her grandparents who came over when they were driving through Richmond. Then I made a dozen chicken salad sandwiches and peanut butter bars for the linger longer that was after church and woke her up to feed her. She kept falling asleep while feeding so I figured she was done and changed her diaper. I thought fortune was on my side because she pooped during the changing and I didn't get ANY of it on her or her white dress or white booties. I went to put her in the carseat and I was so excited because I was going to make it on time to our first solo outing. Well, as you can see she started shrieking. Apparently, she really was hungry despite falling asleep.

She was SO very angry.

I have learned that I absolutely love this little lady.