Sunday, April 17, 2011
My growing garden
Yes! We are still alive and kicking (some of us screaming as well)! I have been a slacker and not "noted" anything the last two weeks. It has been a little crazy (I dropped a ten-pound weight on my foot!)-but I have found that my children are continually growing -like tender plants in a garden. I hope and pray that I am providing "good soil", enough "sunlight", and enough "water" for them to grow strong and happy!
Nat is getting ready to register for high school next year. I can't believe that I am old enough to have a child that will be attending high school! Yes, I am in complete denial. He also recently turned 15 and is anxious to get his permit so that he can start getting his 40 hours of driving. HE is anxious-Travis and I are not! Oh, the joys!
Lindsay is growing up into an amazing young woman. Last week I was extremely tired after a rough night with Zachary,who had a virus, and slept in (I don't get to do this too often). It was spring break and Lindsay heard Zac and got him out of his crib, fed him, and took care of him until I got up. I am so grateful for her! She had also tried out for the dance company at her junior high for next year and did not make it-she was so disappointed, but was able to quickly get over her sadness. Another sign that she is growing up! It was a lesson that I am afraid will happen at other times in her life-we don't always get what we want and things don't always work out for us the way we think that they will-but somehow things always work out for the best. Whenever my children try out for things, I pray that if it will help them and be good for them, then they will make it. However, if they do not need that experience or if it will not be good for them, I pray that they don't -and obviously, this was not for Lindsay next year.
Ethan is growing up a little bit as well. He is learning that sometimes we have to follow through when we have made a committment, even if something else comes up that we would like to do as well. It is difficult to choose between good, better, and best.
Clarissa is learning that just because we want something, it does not mean that you can just get it when you don't have the money to pay for it. We recently watched "Tangled" and I told her that she looked like Rapunzel at the end of the movie (I won't spoil it for those who have not seen it!). Anyway, when we were at the Disney store, she wanted the Rapunzel doll but did not have enough money to buy it. She was very angry that I just did not buy it for her! However, when we got home, we had a great little talk about not spending money that we don't have and that it is okay to wait for things that we want. When we get them, it makes the object that much more appreciated. This is a hard lesson for a little girl and sometimes even when you are an adult!
Zachary is growing and learning constantly. He came with me to singing time in nursery today at church (just to get him used to coming little by little). The nursery that he will attend in a few months invited him to stay and have snacks. He sat up to the table just like he belonged there! I can't believe how fast they grow! It seemed like Nat was just that age-where does the time go?
My "moment of joy" during this last two weeks came when we finished cleaning out the toy room and reorganizing it! Whew! Spring cleaning is awesome!!! We also cleaned out and reorganized the bedrooms-which is partly why I have been such a slacker in posting this blog. However, the work is well worth it! Learning to work and accomplish goals is just another lesson that I am trying to teach my little garden.
Cathy
Nat is getting ready to register for high school next year. I can't believe that I am old enough to have a child that will be attending high school! Yes, I am in complete denial. He also recently turned 15 and is anxious to get his permit so that he can start getting his 40 hours of driving. HE is anxious-Travis and I are not! Oh, the joys!
Lindsay is growing up into an amazing young woman. Last week I was extremely tired after a rough night with Zachary,who had a virus, and slept in (I don't get to do this too often). It was spring break and Lindsay heard Zac and got him out of his crib, fed him, and took care of him until I got up. I am so grateful for her! She had also tried out for the dance company at her junior high for next year and did not make it-she was so disappointed, but was able to quickly get over her sadness. Another sign that she is growing up! It was a lesson that I am afraid will happen at other times in her life-we don't always get what we want and things don't always work out for us the way we think that they will-but somehow things always work out for the best. Whenever my children try out for things, I pray that if it will help them and be good for them, then they will make it. However, if they do not need that experience or if it will not be good for them, I pray that they don't -and obviously, this was not for Lindsay next year.
Ethan is growing up a little bit as well. He is learning that sometimes we have to follow through when we have made a committment, even if something else comes up that we would like to do as well. It is difficult to choose between good, better, and best.
Clarissa is learning that just because we want something, it does not mean that you can just get it when you don't have the money to pay for it. We recently watched "Tangled" and I told her that she looked like Rapunzel at the end of the movie (I won't spoil it for those who have not seen it!). Anyway, when we were at the Disney store, she wanted the Rapunzel doll but did not have enough money to buy it. She was very angry that I just did not buy it for her! However, when we got home, we had a great little talk about not spending money that we don't have and that it is okay to wait for things that we want. When we get them, it makes the object that much more appreciated. This is a hard lesson for a little girl and sometimes even when you are an adult!
Zachary is growing and learning constantly. He came with me to singing time in nursery today at church (just to get him used to coming little by little). The nursery that he will attend in a few months invited him to stay and have snacks. He sat up to the table just like he belonged there! I can't believe how fast they grow! It seemed like Nat was just that age-where does the time go?
My "moment of joy" during this last two weeks came when we finished cleaning out the toy room and reorganizing it! Whew! Spring cleaning is awesome!!! We also cleaned out and reorganized the bedrooms-which is partly why I have been such a slacker in posting this blog. However, the work is well worth it! Learning to work and accomplish goals is just another lesson that I am trying to teach my little garden.
Cathy
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
warm Sunday dinner
Finally, I have a little time to sit down and write a few "notes" about last week...
Without going into any details, Nathanael has realized that he needs to do his homework even if he can Ace his tests!! Travis and I honed in on his "currency" and we have seen dramatic improvement! Only time will tell...
Lindsay enjoyed the start of the soccer season. Her team won their first game 1-0 and Lindsay was the one that scored the goal. They lost their second game 0-2 but she felt really good about her individual performance! She didn't make the Student Council for next year but I am so pleased that she is confident enough to put herself out there! I regret not having more confidence in myself at her age to try to do more things that I had an interest in-I am pleased that my children all seem to be more confident than I was and that is a great thing!
Ethan asked for and received a mini-doughnut maker for Christmas this last year. This week he has been "The Doughnut Maker" by putting on a Krispy Kream hat and making batches of mini-doughuts! They are especially tasty with a little Nutella on them! Ethan has been telling me lately that he wants to be a chef when he grows up. Why not? He loves to experiment in the kitchen!!
Clarissa has been "practicing mommy" this last week. She has asked me to babysit her dolls several times. When she gets home, she grills me to find out whether or not I have fed her children and taken good care of them!
Zachary has been learning so much lately but he has also tried to give me a heart attack! He has been saying so many new words and also signing to communicate some basic wants. It has been so fun to watch him grow and develop! He says, "hello", "let's go", "I love you", and "thank you" (Sometimes they are a little hard to understand-but most of the time I get it!) I just cannot ask him to do it on demand-he is as stubborn as all my others! However, he is definitely my most wreckless child! Last Saturday he almost made himself pass out throwing a fit, fell down the stairs and cut his mouth, fell off a step stool, and tried to drink some dishwashing rinse! In all cases, I was quite near-I did not just leave him to entertain himself! He is going to make me turn gray and I realized that I need to be right on top of him every minute!!
My "moment of joy" came this week when we were eating dinner at my parents' house just after general conference on Sunday. My mom finally sat down to eat dinner and my dad leaned over to her and whispered, "Very good Dearie!" referring to the dinner of course! Then he told her that he loved her! What a good example! They have been married for 37 years! I felt so grateful to have such great parents and it gives me something to shoot for in my marriage. Thanks Mom and Dad! (Lindsay saw this little exchange as well and said that she thought that it was really cute. She said that it is cute when people are young and when they are older. I then asked her about the middle-age people like her dad and I-she didn't say anything and looked away! There was my answer! Middle-age couples-especially Mom and Dad-are not cute!)
Cathy
Without going into any details, Nathanael has realized that he needs to do his homework even if he can Ace his tests!! Travis and I honed in on his "currency" and we have seen dramatic improvement! Only time will tell...
Lindsay enjoyed the start of the soccer season. Her team won their first game 1-0 and Lindsay was the one that scored the goal. They lost their second game 0-2 but she felt really good about her individual performance! She didn't make the Student Council for next year but I am so pleased that she is confident enough to put herself out there! I regret not having more confidence in myself at her age to try to do more things that I had an interest in-I am pleased that my children all seem to be more confident than I was and that is a great thing!
Ethan asked for and received a mini-doughnut maker for Christmas this last year. This week he has been "The Doughnut Maker" by putting on a Krispy Kream hat and making batches of mini-doughuts! They are especially tasty with a little Nutella on them! Ethan has been telling me lately that he wants to be a chef when he grows up. Why not? He loves to experiment in the kitchen!!
Clarissa has been "practicing mommy" this last week. She has asked me to babysit her dolls several times. When she gets home, she grills me to find out whether or not I have fed her children and taken good care of them!
Zachary has been learning so much lately but he has also tried to give me a heart attack! He has been saying so many new words and also signing to communicate some basic wants. It has been so fun to watch him grow and develop! He says, "hello", "let's go", "I love you", and "thank you" (Sometimes they are a little hard to understand-but most of the time I get it!) I just cannot ask him to do it on demand-he is as stubborn as all my others! However, he is definitely my most wreckless child! Last Saturday he almost made himself pass out throwing a fit, fell down the stairs and cut his mouth, fell off a step stool, and tried to drink some dishwashing rinse! In all cases, I was quite near-I did not just leave him to entertain himself! He is going to make me turn gray and I realized that I need to be right on top of him every minute!!
My "moment of joy" came this week when we were eating dinner at my parents' house just after general conference on Sunday. My mom finally sat down to eat dinner and my dad leaned over to her and whispered, "Very good Dearie!" referring to the dinner of course! Then he told her that he loved her! What a good example! They have been married for 37 years! I felt so grateful to have such great parents and it gives me something to shoot for in my marriage. Thanks Mom and Dad! (Lindsay saw this little exchange as well and said that she thought that it was really cute. She said that it is cute when people are young and when they are older. I then asked her about the middle-age people like her dad and I-she didn't say anything and looked away! There was my answer! Middle-age couples-especially Mom and Dad-are not cute!)
Cathy
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Rain
Just a "note" from the Lloyd family this week...
It has been raining outside our home as well as inside! It has not been the best week-nor has it been the worst. However, sometimes I feel like I just am not the greatest mother...
Nathanael has been doing his soccer training this week-although a couple of them were cancelled due to the bad weather. He has also been getting ready for a solo and ensemble festival with a small group of boys from his choir. Nat is doing okay and I believe he is the only child that has not really been mad at me this week (yet). Thank goodness! (Travis was asked to help out with coaching the Lone Peak freshman team-he was so excited!)
Last Saturday Lindsay's Young Women's basketball team won the Stake championship! Lindsay also started out the week well by telling us that she made SSA for next year (the girls choir in her junior high). However, later in the week she decided that she really, really, really wanted a cell phone. Our answer was "no". She does not need one at this point. When she is older and driving and dating and has a job-that is the time for a cell phone in our family. She did not like that answer at all and there was much " weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth!" She has now softened a little bit (It only took her 3 days!) It was just difficult to see her acting like a teenager!
Ethan was in the school play, "Young King Arthur" this week. He played his little part as an evil minion very well. We had fun putting a beard on his face and a scar. We also did his hair "spiked up" on top. We call it his "angry hair." We thought that it added to his minion character. This morning I did his hair that way for school-that way we just have to worry about the make-up tonight. He did not like that! He slammed the door when I dropped him off this morning at school. Lovely.
Clarissa has been mad at me this week because I have decided that she is not allowed to play dollhouse or anything else until her room is clean. I have spent hours helping her clean her room and it is not that hard (in my opinion) to clean it up when you are done! I do try to tell her to clean her room often and she does go in there with the best of intentions, however, minutes later she is distracted by putting on a show for her dolls or reading them a story. Maybe I need to hold her dolls "hostage" until it is done. Needless to say, there was also much "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" from her as well!
Zachary is learning to speak more and more words. This week Travis was taking him while he dropped the kids off at Young Mens and Young Womens and said "Let's go!" I was told that Zac started walking towards the door saying, "Let's go! Let's go!" Maybe there was a little bit of sunshine amongst the clouds this week!
The week did not start out so good. I was kind of ill on Monday-but not so bad that I had to stay in bed. I got up and got dressed and put gas in our van-which only had one mile left to empty and then ran over to the junior high to pay for Nat's AP test coming up. I thought that I was doing good until lunchtime. I realized that I had forgot Moms and Muffins at the elementary school. They have had Dads and Donuts for years where the dads get to go and read to their children and have donuts. This was the first one for moms and I forgot! It was on my calendar-but I did not look at my calendar until it was too late! I felt awful! I usually NEVER forget things like that! Ethan and Clarissa were so hurt and sad when I picked them up and I pictured them at school looking at all the other kids' moms and felt a little sick to my stomach. I tried to make it up to them. I picked up some big, chocolate yummy muffins and brought them home. We ate them together and then I took Clarissa and read to her snuggled in my bed with no one else around for thirty minutes. I then did the same with Ethan. We had a great time and the kids forgave me but I still felt bad. That is the day it started "raining" in our house and the clouds have not really gone away-hopefully the sunshine will come out soon again!
Despite all of the rain, I did have a "moment of joy" this week when Clarissa told me that she forgave me for forgetting Moms and Muffins because that is what we are supposed to do-forgive eachother.
Cathy
It has been raining outside our home as well as inside! It has not been the best week-nor has it been the worst. However, sometimes I feel like I just am not the greatest mother...
Nathanael has been doing his soccer training this week-although a couple of them were cancelled due to the bad weather. He has also been getting ready for a solo and ensemble festival with a small group of boys from his choir. Nat is doing okay and I believe he is the only child that has not really been mad at me this week (yet). Thank goodness! (Travis was asked to help out with coaching the Lone Peak freshman team-he was so excited!)
Last Saturday Lindsay's Young Women's basketball team won the Stake championship! Lindsay also started out the week well by telling us that she made SSA for next year (the girls choir in her junior high). However, later in the week she decided that she really, really, really wanted a cell phone. Our answer was "no". She does not need one at this point. When she is older and driving and dating and has a job-that is the time for a cell phone in our family. She did not like that answer at all and there was much " weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth!" She has now softened a little bit (It only took her 3 days!) It was just difficult to see her acting like a teenager!
Ethan was in the school play, "Young King Arthur" this week. He played his little part as an evil minion very well. We had fun putting a beard on his face and a scar. We also did his hair "spiked up" on top. We call it his "angry hair." We thought that it added to his minion character. This morning I did his hair that way for school-that way we just have to worry about the make-up tonight. He did not like that! He slammed the door when I dropped him off this morning at school. Lovely.
Clarissa has been mad at me this week because I have decided that she is not allowed to play dollhouse or anything else until her room is clean. I have spent hours helping her clean her room and it is not that hard (in my opinion) to clean it up when you are done! I do try to tell her to clean her room often and she does go in there with the best of intentions, however, minutes later she is distracted by putting on a show for her dolls or reading them a story. Maybe I need to hold her dolls "hostage" until it is done. Needless to say, there was also much "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" from her as well!
Zachary is learning to speak more and more words. This week Travis was taking him while he dropped the kids off at Young Mens and Young Womens and said "Let's go!" I was told that Zac started walking towards the door saying, "Let's go! Let's go!" Maybe there was a little bit of sunshine amongst the clouds this week!
The week did not start out so good. I was kind of ill on Monday-but not so bad that I had to stay in bed. I got up and got dressed and put gas in our van-which only had one mile left to empty and then ran over to the junior high to pay for Nat's AP test coming up. I thought that I was doing good until lunchtime. I realized that I had forgot Moms and Muffins at the elementary school. They have had Dads and Donuts for years where the dads get to go and read to their children and have donuts. This was the first one for moms and I forgot! It was on my calendar-but I did not look at my calendar until it was too late! I felt awful! I usually NEVER forget things like that! Ethan and Clarissa were so hurt and sad when I picked them up and I pictured them at school looking at all the other kids' moms and felt a little sick to my stomach. I tried to make it up to them. I picked up some big, chocolate yummy muffins and brought them home. We ate them together and then I took Clarissa and read to her snuggled in my bed with no one else around for thirty minutes. I then did the same with Ethan. We had a great time and the kids forgave me but I still felt bad. That is the day it started "raining" in our house and the clouds have not really gone away-hopefully the sunshine will come out soon again!
Despite all of the rain, I did have a "moment of joy" this week when Clarissa told me that she forgave me for forgetting Moms and Muffins because that is what we are supposed to do-forgive eachother.
Cathy
Friday, March 18, 2011
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