We had a nice visit from some friends from Sahuarita, Arizona. They’ve all grown so much, but the friendships still feel comfortable. It was a fun night. It’s a sacrifice to take time to visit friends when people are on a trip to visit family. It meant a lot to us.
Timothy finished his stint as a safety patrol volunteer at his school. He received a Twix bar which he added to his enormous stash of candy acquired at school. In the past 8 days, he has been skiing 4 times. He is reading something with a huge salamander monster illustrated on the cover. He is devastated that his friend from school will be leaving for a year. He’s good with fractions and only asked me for help with maybe one homework problem this week. He’s really sounding good on his piano pieces, but he’s not enthusiastic about practicing. He should finish earning enough money to buy the Lego set he wants this week. I ordered it and it has been sitting unopened on the shelf for a month, taunting him.
Mark has skied 2 times this week. He’s reading Harry Potter #4, Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary, Hard Luck (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), and an Ed Emberly thumb print art book. We spent an evening making thumb print animals and faces. He spent the morning in an indoor tent full of pillows, stuffed animals and books. He spent his hard earned cash on a book called Potterwookie, which has elements of Harry Potter and Star Wars in a Diary of a Wimpy Kid type format. He and Timothy can quote the The Lego Movie’s best lines even though they only saw it once. I can’t quote anything but, “Spaceship!”
Daniel made a video presentation for a group project at school. He edited and produced the movie with Richard’s software almost on his own. The middle school critics gave it 4 stars. Daniel has skied 4 times this week, too. I have no idea what he is reading, but it’s from a teacher’s classroom library. He played the cello in a concert at the high school. My favorite piece was a Brandenburg concerto. He helped Richard install a new fence post since we lost several in a recent wind storm. My favorite piece to hear him play on the piano lately is The Maple Leaf Rag, although if I am in a brooding mood, I enjoy hearing him play Chopin’s Prelude in G Minor. He spends his free time watching Piano Guys videos.
Paige finished an art project using colored pencils. It’s two portraits, one of a porcelain doll’s face and one of her own face. I haven’t seen the finished product, but she took a picture of it for me. She took a math final and stressed over DBQ essay in English. She went on a field trip to the Springville Art Museum and the BYU Art Museum on Friday. She’s playing Reverie by Debussy and Humoresque by Timothy Brown? for judges next week. She spends most of her time in her room doing homework. We went shopping for a frame for one of her pieces of artwork last Saturday and wow, I love how it looks in a frame.
This time next month they will be working on new piano pieces, no longer skiing, and on to other adventures. They are great students, talented and expressive pianists, and involved in so many things. Posts like this help me to capture some details before they are gone.
I see some essentials in these photos that Richard captured. We have brothers who are also best friends, markers, a project, and lots of candy. There’s not much more that you need in life.
We have made our first valentine box ever. Ta da! It’s a Kleenex box and lids from milk containers. It took 10 minutes plus drying time. That’s my kind of craft. Mark and the boys are totally pleased with this Lego replica.
Mark is a boy who loves comfort. He changes into his pajamas when he comes home from school. He loves to build nests of blankets and pillows. On Friday he had a day off from school, so that meant he could wear his pajamas all day long! While the big boys went skiing, he set up all of his stuffed animals in his bed and read books. I took the picture of Sparky at the foot of the bed, but a few minutes later, he was nestled among the stuffed animals with whom he had claimed some form of kinship.
I have started planning my 40th birthday party. It’s in November, but we can’t be too hasty with these things. The plans evolve each week. Lately I am thinking it will be a book lovers party and may just involve a photo booth with giant cut-outs of some favorite authors with whom you may have your photo taken! I’m such a geek.
Timothy is a “Webelos Super Achiever” because he earned every activity pin. We are pretty proud of him! We attended his last Cub Scout Pack Meeting last week.
He walked across the bridge to Boy Scouts…
and got to sign his name on the bridge.
I enjoy seeing the older version of Timothy’s personality emerging through his work in scouting, piano, school, and among friends. He LOVES to ski. He would go every weekend if he could. He plows through the books. His bedroom is decorated with Hobbit-themed Lego sets. We like him quite a bit.
There has been an unperceived threat. Lego armies are assembling in many corners of the house.
Here is a small paragraph written by Timothy at school that I discovered this morning. I think it is marvelous.
Space World Setting: A black starry planet with dark lurking creatures I have just lamented over the loss of my space ship to take me home. I am currently on the dark planet Catoure. There haven't been any signs of life forms. Yet. Thank goodness too, because I don't want to bump into the star dragon. This planet conceals many things. One thing is a sea urchin like creature who grabs your feet with tweezer-like pincers. I just hope I can repair my ship and sleep in my hammock.
Paige and Daniel were in a roadshow production in October with their church youth group. Daniel had the part of Jaws and he played the ominous theme from the movie on the cello as he made his entrance.
There were heroes and there were villains and they danced and sang.
Paige played the part of Mary Poppins.
“Practically perfect in every way.”
Photos by Janine Clarke and Jolynn Sorensen
We awoke from a long sleep to discover that snow was falling determinedly. We pulled out the winter boots and snow pants and the little boys had a fine time outside. I bundled up and enjoyed the views from inside, thank you very much.
The morning was gray, but once the snow began to stick, the house was illuminated by bright white views from the windows.
All that was left of the snow by evening were the remnants of two snowmen that the boys built and the promise of more cold weather and dreams of snowy play days to come.
Mark and Timothy’s cheeks remained a charming rosy shade for hours after they came inside.
I love watching those little boys play together.
Introducing…
from The Hobbit
and…
from Star Wars
Daniel dressed up with his friends and roamed the neighborhood.
I went trick-or-treating with the little boys. I have learned that this is the best way to overcome my aversion to Halloween. I don’t have to deal with kids in horror costumes knocking at the door and I get to see my kids having a great time with our neighbors. Our kids are the best company.