One thing elementary educators of all backgrounds seem to agree upon in my readings is that kids should be outside learning from the world around them. I’ve spent the last year prioritizing being outside mostly out of my own desires to be in the sun. As I’ve read about the details of nature study I’ve…
Family
Spring Break 2017
Last Monday we headed down to Indy right after lunch. Andrew drove while the kids and I slept during our designated nap time. We arrived at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum just as the main crowd was heading out. We took a quick run down the Willy Wonka Chocolate slide before heading into the Circus exhibit….
And Then It’s Spring
Last week we spent the first half of the week in Indianapolis for spring break. The second half Andrew was in Dallas, TX for a conference and I was at home with the kids. We picked him up late Saturday night. We’ve spent the last few days catching up: on sleep, housework, grocery shopping, projects,…
Nathan’s Words
Nathan went from yelling/screaming for all his forms of communication to talking and signing in the last few weeks! First he learned to sign “more”, with his pointer finger sticking out and making a two syllable sound. This sound and sign are also used to say “help”. Usually he starts with a scream, abruptly stops,…
A Little Fairy
Emily pulled a long yellow ribbon out of a drawer earlier this week. It was used as a leash for her balloon dog. Then for waving in the air as she danced. At some point along the way the end of the ribbon began to unravel. We were all amazed at how many strands of thread…
Accepting the Assignment
A few weeks ago I listened to President Nelson’s devotional to young adults. I was cleaning the kitchen and felt uplifted and then continued on. Last week I stumbled across a blog post on lds.org from President Nelson discussing what he learned from studying the Saviors life in the scriptures. That’s when a vague recollection about…
Learning in the Waiting
It was six months of waiting before we found out baby jackson one would be joining our family. At the beginning of the waiting we had an early miscarriage. I was devastated, depressed, despondent. I fell into a routine: Andrew left Provo at 5am for his 2.5 hour bus/bike commute to Sandy to teach. I got…
Moments
Last Friday I went on a early morning run by myself through some nearby trails. The tempreture was ideal and the sunrise so perfect I couldn’t help but snap a few pictures as I went. Nathan is starting to be more adventurous at the park. Last week he began walking outside without holding my hand –…
Project: Play Dresses for Emily
Emily started growing out of many of the dresses she’s been wearing for the last year. I took some old shirts of mine and turned them into play dresses that should last for another year. The first dress took about two days to figure out. The second one Emily I made together in thirty minutes….
The Widows Mite
A good portion of my marriage I have been physically unwell. Between surgery, difficult pregnancies, challenging postpartum recoveries, and my bought with c. diff, Andrew has pulled a lot of weight taking care of us. During many of these periods I spend a lot of time apologizing and feeling guilty for not matching Andrew’s work…