Random happenings

A few days ago I got up early with Trevor (when will the child learn to sleep past 6:30 a.m.???) and was sitting in the rocking chair nursing him when Lincoln woke up. My sweet Lincoln pulled his chair over to my rocking chair and leaned his little head against my arm and started stroking Trevor's head. It made my heart happy to have my little boys snuggling up with me.

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One of the first things Mason did this morning was make clovers out of green paper for everyone to wear today. I pinned mine on my sweater and wore it to church, fielding many comments about it. In the car on the way home I told Mason about the comments, thinking he would be pleased that a) I wore it, and b) people noticed and liked it. His reply? "What's a shamrock?" I told him it was the green clover that he made me. His response cracked me up, "What clover?"

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Mason's Pinewood derby car is all finished--it's a police car (like Uncle Cookie's) with real flashing lights. He and Stephen have spent many a long hour working on schematics, trying the circuit on a breadboard, soldering the circuit together, cutting out the car (with a place for the circuit), sanding and painting the car and today adding the wheels. It's been a labor of love! Stephen said it was kind of strange to be the one doing the go-fer work, like stripping wires, while Mason put the circuit together. Stephen played an important supporting role, but Mason gets all the credit for making it all work!

Here it is in action!

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Sammy's birthday is in 10 days (he figured it out today) so Stephen and I asked him what he would like for his birthday. As is his custom, he took several minutes to think about it and then replied, "A bouncy ball." Several minutes later he piped up again, "Something remote-controlled." Again several more minutes passed by when he raised his hand (Stephen and I were planning our week) and requested a Nerf-type gun with bullets (as opposed to the ones he has found at the thrift store without bullets). He is so easy to please! We had fun looking on amazon and picking out just what he wanted. :) And I don't have to step foot in a store--yay!!

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I have my birthday present picked out for myself this year. Stephen is going to make me this:

Isn't it brilliant? I have just the spot for it in the family room. I don't think I've been so excited for my birthday in a long time!

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This next picture is just silly, but there was a picture of something that I've been wanting to post about...and not my silly girl (though she is pretty awesome!):

You'll have to click on the image to see it larger, but look just to the left of Elise's right hand. There is a piece of paper with a big black circle and the words "Black Holl baDge". A couple of months ago during a rough day when I was feeling under-appreciated Sammy and Elise each gave me one of these badges. They are awarded on Khan Academy for effort above and beyond the call of duty. They are extremely rare; I think only one of the kids has ever earned one. And I got 2 in one day! What sweet kids!

Surprise!

This weekend was our Stake Conference, and for the main session (this morning) we had a broadcast from Salt Lake. Each building also had an opening and closing song and prayer, and I was asked to play organ for our building.

Let me say something about me and the organ. I LOVE to play the organ. I first started playing it when I was 14--over 18 years ago. There was a woman in our ward who taught my younger brother and I how to play, so I got started off right. I've played organ in every ward I've lived in since then, and as soon as my piano students are able to play a couple of hymns I get them on the organ. I think one reason I love to play the organ in Sacrament meeting is because I love being an accompanist. I would much rather accompany a musician or choir than perform a solo piece. Which leads back to today...

I played around 45 minutes of prelude this morning, played the opening hymn and was just getting off the bench to go down and sit with my family when our Stake Presidency member announced, "When we are finished with Stake business we will listen to an organ interlude until the broadcast begins." Wait, what? I looked up at the countdown on the screen-- over 5 minutes to go. I pulled out my music and quickly changed the stops. And then, "Please listen reverently to the organ interlude until the broadcast begins." He turned to smile at me and mouth, "Thank you."

Well then. I guess I'll play some solo organ music while these hundreds of people listen silently to me.

Today I am thankful for easy organ music that sounds nice. :)

Nanas and oats

(I wrote this a few days ago...)

It's that time of the month again: the end. The time where I kick myself for going over my food budget last month and causing it to roll over to this month, causing me to have gone way over...again. That isn't my story, tho...here's my story:

We ran out of oats. I don't run out of things as important as oats! And yet, I did, causing the oatmeal eating members of my family much distress. And not only did we run out of oats, we ran out of bananas. Needless to say, Lincoln was very distraught this morning when I told him.

Lincoln: "Nanas and oats at the store?"
Me: "I don't have enough money today."
L: "NANAS AND OATS AT THE STORE!!!"
Me: "I really am out of money, sweetheart."

Lincoln disappears and a few minutes later I hear the garage door open and close, then he comes running in to the room.

L: "Money in the car, Mama." And he holds out a dime that he found in the car.
Me: "Oh, Lincoln! There is, but not enough for bananas and oats."
L: "Go to store tomorrow? Nanas and oats tomorrow?"