JOY

The story is told about the woman who scrimped and saved for passage from England to the U.S. She carefully hoarded her money until she had just enough for fare and enough to get her started on her new life. She took her food with her and while all the other passengers went gaily off to plentiful meals in the dining room, she stayed in her cabin eating meager provisions.

On the last day of her journey, she decided to allow herself the final meal in the dining room. She perused the menu but did not see any prices listed. She chose something she thought would be inexpensive and asked the waiter how much that menu item cost. The waiter answered that all meals were included in the price of the ship's passage.

The lady could have eaten the delicious meals every day!

I wonder how often our journey through life is like that. We run and we stress and we hurry and we worry and we push ourselves. We are working for that great reward and eternal happiness. We are apt to get to the judgment seat and have our great judge ask us what joy we found in life and it will be like the V-8 commercial: We'll hit ourselves in the head and exclaim in wonder, "I could've had joy!?!"

Do I notice the joyful moments in my life? Do I relish them? Do I actually take time to have them? What do I do that brings joy into my life?

Things that bring me joy:
*serving others
*laughing with my children
*dating my husband
*hiking
*eating food from my garden
*watching my children succeed
*curling up with a good book an a cup of hot chocolate
*savoring a good piece of chocolate
*time out with girlfriends
*accomplishing a goal
*finishing a project
*surprising someone
*buying something for someone else

What brings you joy?

first days

I'm finally getting first day of school pictures uploaded for my girls. Shanley's first day was Weds., Aug. 25th.
Here's the list of her favorites:
Food: Pizza
Treat: Skittles
Friends: Brooke, Madi, Allie
Subject: Dance
Color: Green
Book: I don't know
Movie: Finding Nemo
TV Show: Home Improvement (reruns)
Book of Mormon Hero: Alma the Younger
Thing to do in Spare Time: Hang Out with Friends
Thing to do on the Weekends: Hang Out with Friends
and
What She Wants to Be When She Grows Up: Teacher or Nurse

This is McKayla's official first-day of school photo. Thursday, August 26th

Since she had to wear her soccer jersey on her first day of school (dismissed early for a game), she wanted this to be her "back-to-school photo" (taken Fri., Aug. 27th):
Her list of favorites:
Food: Chicken Cordon Bleu
Snack: Starbursts
Friends: Brooke and Dakota
Subject: History
Color: Baby Blue or Teal
Book: The Hunger Games series
Movie: I don't know
TV Show: I don't know
Book of Mormon Hero: Nephi
Thing to Do in Spare Time: Play Soccer (what a shock!)
Thing to Do on Weekends: Hang Out with Friends
and
What She Wants to Be When She Grows Up: Nurse

*miserable cold (gone through a box of tissue in a few days)
*not-a-stellar yard sale
*"Pirates of Penzance" at Hale Center Theater - not a favorite
*messy house

That about sums up my weekend.

On a brighter note, I did get to read "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins and it was fantastic! It was dark and sad and troubling but it ended the way it should end and not in the "happily ever after" mode that I probably wanted it to end. It gave me a lot to think about. War, politics, who are our real enemies? What does war solve? When is war justified?

a Friday rant

Last year our school district had this horrid idea of having a late start for middle schoolers every Friday. They go to school 2 hours later than usual, ostensibly so that the teachers can coordinate with each other.

What it means for a parent is a CRAZY schedule:

6:37 am - bus arrives for Alec
8:00 am - Chandler leaves for school
9:50 am - McKayla and Shanley start school
1:30 pm - Chandler arrives home
2:30 pm - Alec arrives home
2:50 pm - McKayla and Shanley get out of school

Could we chop up my day any more than that?

I guess if I were lucky I could have a preschooler who went from 9 am to noon. That would finish my day off nicely.

which day is the first?

Utah does year-round schooling in the elementary schools. I have always liked it. My children go for 9 weeks and then get a 3-week break. The break falls when students are tiring of school and I am tiring of homework. I love the first two weeks of the break and we play and do fun things. About the time I am feeling the need to get back to my normal return, it is time for them to start up again.

However, there is a downside. With children in all levels of school, I never have an actual "First Day of School" where all the children head back. Chandler started 4 1/2 weeks before the others.

In fact, to further muddy the waters, since Shanley is starting 7th grade (1st year of middle school here) she started one day before Alec and McKayla. Since McKayla is a student leader, she actually had to be at the school on Shanley's first day to help the new sevvies find their classrooms. But it's not really her first day of school.

I used to have a few traditions for the first day of school. Now that is harder. I can't hardly determine what the first day of school is. Do I celebrate everyone's first day on their own? Is McKayla's first day the first day she has to be at the school or the first day she actually has classes?

Today they are actually ALL in school - officially! However, I did have to laugh one more time. One of my traditions is to take a first day of school picture. McKayla had to wear her soccer uniform to school today (she has an "away" game) so she didn't want her picture today. She wants me to take it tomorrow when she wears a cute "first day of school" outfit. I give up!

hiking

Last Saturday Chandler, Shanley, and I went hiking up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Here's Lake Catherine from the top of the pass.


My kids are always drawn to water! Despite the freezing cold water temp, Chandler had his shoes off and was in the water moments after reaching the water's edge.

The wildflowers were gorgeous.

our newest addition

Shanley added someone to our household - a toad! She caught it and brought it home.

She now catches flies to feed it every day which is great for keeping them out of the kitchen!