As promised...

Here are the most recent art projects I've done in my kids classes:

The above one for second-graders (done by a student, no less), was a great example of how to use shading and lines to add dimension. 

 And this one, for fourth graders, incorporated the use of complementary colors in painting a Gauguin-style landscape.  Though this isn't an art blog, I have PowerPoints for both of these lessons, if anyone wants to reuse them.  Heaven knows, I get a lot of mileage out of using what others have done first.

And now, on a more serious note...

Lily convinced me that it was her year to host a Halloween party for her and a few friends.  The preparations gave me anxiety for about a week - but it went off without a hitch and she was completely thrilled at the result.

One of my favorite things about throwing parties is that I get to see that I'm not the only one whose kids are loud, wild, and sometimes forget to flush the toilet (and other such things).  Surely the sugar high had nothing to do with their behavior...

Really, though, it is so reassuring to see that good parents often have, shall we say, "difficult" offspring, and, in spite of their best efforts to shape their behavior, some kids will not be shaped.  And some are simply delightful.  Even mine.  Sometimes.

Now, on to Halloween!

Holiness to the Lord.

The Boise temple has been closed for renovation since July 2011.  Which means, for the past year or so, we've had to travel almost 2 hours away to visit the closest temple.  We have missed the 15 minute drive to the Boise temple, and the regular attendance that accompanied having one so close.  Still, there's learning that accompanies sacrifice and, fortunately Tim and I had fun trying to route our trips this year so that we could visit the temple "on the way".  Sadly, we were in Winter Quarters, NE, on a Monday this summer (one of the days the temple is closed).  Other than that, though, our temple visits have included the Portland, St. George, Mt. Timpanogos, Provo, Salt Lake, and Twin Falls temples.

The Boise temple is now complete and open to the general public for a few weeks before it is rededicated and thereafter available only to worthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We've invited a few friends to go take a tour, but want to extend the invitation to any of you who happen to read this blog - the last time the Boise temple was open to the general public was in the mid 1980's, so, if you're interested in learning more about what goes on inside a Mormon temple, go to this website and schedule yourselves a free tour (or just show up, they won't turn you away).  The tour schedule ends Saturday, November 10th.

In any case, our family took a tour almost two weeks ago.  Here we are on the shuttle:

And then just outside the temple after the tour:

I wish I had sat down to record my feelings a bit sooner so that I could recount with greater detail some of the feelings I had on that occasion.  Our experience in the temple was very tender, particularly as I was surrounded by my husband and four sweet daughters.  I loved sharing that building with them, as it is where I've gained so much learning and the eternal perspecitive that grounds me as I navigate a world that lacks answers to life's most fundamental questions.

Peter Pan.

Tim and I try to schedule regular (as in, 3-4 times annually) date nights with each of the girls.  Anna and I did a ropes course in September that left me bruised and battered for two weeks afterward.  I took the easy way out with Rachel and treated her to a community theater production of Peter Pan.  Here we are before the show:

On the way home, she fulfilled my every wish by uttering, between yawns, "Mom, thanks for taking me on a date.  I love you."  Music to my ears.

I've got it all under control. Really.

This is what happens when you try to get six preschoolers aligned for a photo op at the local fruit stand.  (Yes, the sixth is, indeed, missing in action).

The great tree.

Have I mentioned "the Great Tree" before?  It's a magical wonderland for my children.  A hidden oasis where imaginations run wild and childhood fantasies know no borders.  Yes, it's that good.  So good, that when my third child found out that her older sisters were spending the afternoon there while she went to her best friend's awesome birthday party, she almost didn't want to go (to the birthday party, that is).  Almost.  Here are a couple of pictures I managed to shoot of two of my girls frolicking in the branches:

Oh, how every child deserves a great tree somehow, somewhere.

It's a wild, wild world.

One of the great things about living on the edge of town is the wildlife we encounter.  Just last week I watched a coyote hunt not 20 feet behind my back fence.  Apparently, you don't have to live on the edge of town to view wildlife, though.  We saw these during a Joy School field trip at a downtown park in early October:

I love Idaho.

It comes with age.

Here's my attempt to catch up on the month of October.  I present to you multiple, picture-filled posts with very little substance.

My neighbor had a meeting for her chorus one morning and one of the members parked her car right.smack.dab in front of my driveway.  She's over 70.  I cut her some slack.  Even when I had to run over my lawn multiple times getting my car in and out of my garage for the 2+ hours she was parked there.  Hilarious.

Life.

I've had serious writer's block in recent weeks.  Not that I would call myself a talented writer on any day, but still.  Life goes on and I've nothing to document the rigmarole that ensues without ceasing.  I'm starting to think that Facebook or Twitter might be a better venue for my record-keeping, since time to type comes in spurts around here.  My mind is constantly going a mile a minute - how can I sit still long enough to concentrate on churning out anything more than a paragraph of value.  Just look at the one I've typed thus far... worthless!

So here's me, shooting from the hip at recounting the last few weeks.

I was called as the Laurel adviser in our ward (that's Mormon jargon for: I teach the 16-18 year old girls at church).  They are a phenomenal group of young women.  They're preparing for a cultural celebration the night before our recently renovated temple is rededicated in November.  Very exciting indeed.  The only downside is, instead of getting to interact with them at Wednesday night activities, I get to watch them rehearse.  Fun - just not the relationship-building I had hoped for upon my inauguration.

I signed up to teach art in each of my three elementary school kids' classes.  What was I thinking?  Oh yeah, I asked the girls' opinions on the matter and had to score brownie points.  I have big ambitions of posting some of the art projects here, as proof that I actually do something around here, but I've yet to find the time...


Our cat Zags is a killing machine.  We can now add "mutilated rabbit" to the list of animal remains found on our back lawn.

Last week I used my iPad to give my Family Home Evening lesson.  Welcome to 2012.

I'm fired up about the election.  Is it coincidence that Obama has scored extra minutes of talking time on Romney in both debates and has been interrupted by the moderator less than a third of the time Romney has?  Maybe, but the fact that the mainstream media is so kind to him(whether intentional or not) only makes him look worse in my eyes. 

Our digital converter box (our link to a mere 7 TV channels) quit on us last Christmas, rendering our TV useless.  We haven't missed it.

My kids - all four of them - are difficult.  When I talk to friends, they often mention that "one" child over whom they spend sleepless nights worrying, who is "spirited" far above the rest.  Certainly, I have one who outranks the others in her spiritedness, but really, they're all giving me a run for my money.  Pretty much every day.  Anyone know when this parenting thing gets easier?

I had high hopes for getting a smartphone.  And then I read an article documenting how studies have shown some people would rather cut back on their grocery budget than lose their smartphone.  Though I'm at no risk of having to do so and can certainly afford upgrading, the article appealed to the cheapskate in me and I came to the conclusion that I can hold off a bit longer on being connected at all hours of the day.  Does that make me weird?

My Thursday and Sunday nights are booked through November - I'm rehearsing with a 274-voice choir that will perform a pre-Thanksgiving concert.  So nice to revive virtually unused talents...especially for a good cause.


My kids have this sweet spot across the field behind our house where they like to play.  They call it the "Great Tree".  It's basically Swiss Family Robinson at its best.  They each have their designated "rooms" and pretend to be Star Wars characters for hours on end.  I think they're still in denial that their sanctuary will be losing its leaves in the coming weeks.

Tim and I went on a whopping three dates in one week.  Definitely a record.  Expensive, too.

I teach Joy School in the morning.  Good night.