Friday, January 31, 2014

Sketchbook Progress

Here's some photos of the religious study/sketchbook project I mentioned starting:




These last two photos are a not yet finished drawing.  I'm thinking it would look good carved in wood, but for now, once it's finished I'm just going to staple it into my sketchbook.
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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Sometimes I wonder...

Clementine cake that Isaac made (too bad Sadie ate the leftover HALF)
...if it's hard to start resolutions in January because usually you or someone gets sick and that kind of messes up the rhythm.  Just when I think I'm organized enough to get what I need AND want done, God throws me a curve ball (more about that on another post).  These last two weeks have been a little challenging, nothing too awful, but enough to throw me off my groove.  Things are looking better though so no worries.
2 weeks ago Isaac was sick with a sore throat, then runny nose, then stomach cramping and vomiting etc.  He would whine saying, "I feel like Inigo Montoya." moan moan moan "I'm having contractions!"moan moan moan.  Sheesh.  He watches half an episode of Call the Midwife and he thinks he's having contractions.  ;-)  Luckily Brian and I just caught the head cold part of it.
Isaac missed a day of school, then last week we had Martin Luther King Jr Day off and then Thursday we had another day cancelled because of the cold.  There's also rumors Monday and Tuesday will be cancelled too because they are expected to be colder than Thursday.  If that happens the kids will have had more days out of school than in school for the month of January (including weekends).  When they first decided to have "cold days" this year I wondered what would happen at the end of January because the last week of January and first week of February are usually the coldest days of the year and the cold we've had from the Polar Vortexes isn't actually that unusual for Minnesota.  So, that said, and in spite of it keeping me from having a routine, it's actually been kind of nice to have the days off.  Oddly there is something liberating about being able to stay inside.  ;-)
With being couped up comes a little silliness.  Well, OK, with us there always is a little silliness.  Worth preserving for prosperity(?) is the following:
I:  "Hitler was insane and crazy and had serious problems" (not sure what brought that up)
H:  "Not as crazy as Miley Cyrus!"
I: "uh, yeah.  Crazier."
H:  "did Hitler ever go swinging naked on a wrecking ball?"  "Who is Hitler anyway?"
I: "OH, now I have the weirdest visual! Hitler, naked on a wrecking ball, man"
From Facebook (about Henry):
Spelling homework is so hard to do when there are so many important things to talk about like, oh, your theories about the Bermuda Triangle...it could be the Kraken that got flight 19, or maybe all the ships and planes get sucked into a land that is all made of Legos...& your friend is going to solve the mystery and get rich...and another friend believes that Bigfoot breaks into people's houses and sleeps under their beds...and once their was this random boat just floating in the fog with no crew or cargo or anything...is there a guy named redrat or something? You know in a book? Sometimes I like to doodle while I'm thinking. Now this person is singing a Muse song I think, but about a flying elephant? Homework is just so hard to do.

Kristin Packer Jones: it's all those creative genes you passed on to your kids in action!
Jd Smith: Hey, Bigfoot is a real concern. Great, now I have to check under my bed for him. Which makes me wonder if Scully from Monsters, Inc. Is really a blue Bigfoot.
Michele Holcomb: Well, I don't think you need to worry too much about Bigfoot being under your bed because he's rather clumsy and doesn't really use doors so you would have a few clues he's in your house before you go to bed- like lots of broken stuff and a hole in your wall. Also, don't worry if the Kraken sneaks in your room at night because, not everyone knows this, but Krakens actually give really good back massages. (That sometimes tickle).
Another Facebook post:
 Ha! I love Limericks. Anybody have some favorites to share? Henry shared this one at school today (for "show and tell" the kids had to bring in a limerick or poem):
There was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket
His daughter called Nan
Ran away with a man
And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
Facebook #3:
 Fun from Ana at work: Ana, you will be working with Lane Tew (pointing to the lap pool).
Great! Who's the assistant teacher? Lane Tew. Yes, lane two, and who is with me? Lane Tew. I see lane two, but who is also teaching? The person's name IS Lane Tew. OH!
So Ana taught swim lessons Tuesday with a Lane Tew in lane 2. She thought it was pretty funny and she felt like the "who's on first" skit.
Hopefully at least one of those gave you a good chuckle. :-) 

Brian enjoying some time playing with our dog in the snow.  Maybe, maybe, I can forgive her for eating the cake.


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Sunday, January 12, 2014

Oh Teenagers

Sometimes my teenage kids pull words out of me that maybe I shouldn't say, or are just kind of funny.  Yesterday Ana was telling me about a friend who wants to dye her hair a crazy color and she said she's going to ask her mom, but then she's going to do it anyway no matter what her mom says.  I blurted out my instinctive response of "What's the point in asking then?  I mean really, if she really doesn't care what her parents think and if she's going to do it anyway it's just mean to ask permission and then not listen."  Ana: "Uh, great advice from a MOM.  Don't ask permission, just do what you want.  Ha ha ha!"  That's not exactly what I meant and I don't condone doing anything illegal or physically and/or emotionally harmful to others or things.  She should check with her parents, but also respect their opinion, especially while living under their roof.  Ana knows what I mean.  She also caught me again in the same afternoon:
Ana was talking about BBC shows and I said, "I think I'm more excited for Sherlock than Downton Abbey.  Well, no, I know I'm more excited to see Sherlock.  I think they've just killed off too many characters in Downton Abbey."
Ana's response: "Um, Mom.  They killed Sherlock.  And it's kind of a murder detective type show soooo people die every episode."
"thank you, Ana, for pointing that out"  We got a good laugh about it.
Here's Ana with more of her "wit" lately--
Her friend plays the drums (and he's pretty good- plays for the HS and the UofM marching band).  To the point that he loves his drums more than anything and had someone take this picture for him.

Ana asked the band director for special permission to "touch" the drums to have a friend take this picture.  The band director was nervous about her getting close to the drums, but she said she will be super careful because she knows this friend will hunt her down and murder her if anything happens.  The band director concurred and allowed her a moment of fun.  Yes she is completely mocking him and his values.  ;-)

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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

9 going on 10 ideas about love ...& Facebook updates

Saturday we decided to watch the latest Superman- one of the many summer movies we wanted to see and just never did.  It was just okay in my opinion.  My favorite part was near the end when William says, "oh, they're gonna kiss...KISS!...That's going to be my first kiss.  When the world is being blown up and I'm saving it!  Wouldn't that be awesome!"  I also enjoyed his comments while he watched bits and pieces of Downton Abbey:  "Ooh, they love each other" almost every time Anna and Mr. Bates were in a scene together.  Too cute.
Here's the facebook updates for you, Mom:

  1. Conversation while watching this:
    A: We totally need to move to London.
    M: Tell dad to get a job there.
    A: Oh, I have. (She has a lot)
    H: But then it would take him a long time to get home.
    long pause
    M: If he had a job there we would all live there.

  4. Thai Lemon Soup for dinner

    Photo: Thai Lemon Soup for dinner


  6. January 3
    Just got a phone message- the Governor has declared the entire state of MN will not hold school Monday because it's going to be just too cold.

  9. Michele Holcomb shared the busy mockingbird's photo.
    January 2
    A page from our collaborative Sketchbook Project entry...

    http://www.sketchbookproject.com/

    Photo: A page from our collaborative Sketchbook Project entry... http://www.sketchbookproject.com


  10. Michele Holcomb shared Henry B Eyring's photo.
    January 2
    What will your contribution be? http://bit.ly/1arosgp

    Photo: What will your contribution be? http://bit.ly/1arosgp


  13. Michele Holcomb shared the busy mockingbird's photo.
    January 1
    Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, creative new year! Be your OWN new year's resolution!

    Photo: Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, creative new year! Be your OWN new year's resolution!

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Monday, January 6, 2014

Cold Day




It is so cold Governor Dayton declared today and tomorrow a "Cold Day" meaning no school anywhere in the state of Minnesota.  Woohoo!  Church was also cancelled for us yesterday.  So we have/are having a pretty sweet long weekend.  It was about -18 today according to my home thermometer.  A lot colder in some places and when the wind blows, even colder.
Sunday we attended the baptism of some friends (another religion, not cancelled).  It was really nice.  We also baked some cookies, took down our Christmas decorations, and caught up on the last episode of season 3 Downton Abbey that I never did get around to watching.  Until yesterday right before the first episode of season 4.  I'm disappointed in the ending of season 3.  It's slightly made me less interested in Downton Abbey.  It's still good, but I think I'm more excited about Sherlock starting again.
Today we did a few projects and now Isaac is at a friend's enjoying a Bourne movie marathon, Ana is doing homework at the library with a friend (I hope they are actually meeting boys there or something exciting- j/k.  ...sort of), William is at a friend's house, Henry is enjoying his alone time with Legos and army guys, and I'm blogging.
 1/5/14 Sadie kindly playing "dress up" with Henry
 1/6/14 Throwing a pot of boiling water in the air

 Attempting to blow frozen bubbles- looks like we will have to try again on a "warmer" day- our bubble solution froze as soon as we pulled the wand out of the bottle.  We also attempted making an ice tent with string and water- still a work in progress.  It kind of takes more than one person and everyone else decided they would rather go inside.

 My hair getting icy.
 Henry drawing a yeti on the storm door with a chopstick- it's ice not just condensation.

 An army tank Henry made out of the top of a milk jug.
 Henry's Lego vs Army guys war
Bundled up and staying dry equals staying warm.  I enjoyed getting some fresh air.  I think next on the "to-do" list is hot chocolate.
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Saturday, January 4, 2014

The beginnings of an Idea

So for all the complaining I did about being tired of social media I have decided not give up on blogging or Facebook.  (I will probably carry on as always with a mix of stuff; I am still open to opinions of direction though).  AND I decided to go with the "touch" theme for my scripture study/sketchbook for awhile AND the inspiration for that theme came from a video I found on Facebook and a video I found on Pinterest.  So I can't complain about everything.

I just love these ideas!  There is so much power in "touch"!  I think as I "research" this topic I'll go ahead and share my notes on my blog as well as handwritten in a notebook.
Here's an edited/shorter version of my first entry:

Ether 12:24-26
 24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the aawkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in bwriting like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he cwrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.
 25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we acannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our bweakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall cmock at our words.
 26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: aFools bmock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

So what I'm getting out of these verses (since it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately) is when God teaches us, and our forefathers, he is working with people with a limited understanding; with cultural, political, neighborhood, family, personal differences.  So whether we were born members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or whatever religion you might be) or not, we are all "converts" or descendants of "converts" to our faith and we have cultural background mixed in and being passed down through generations along with current media views and political views.  It's important that we each prayerfully study God's words and the words of prophets in order to separate the "culture" from God's actual teachings.  One reason to always be studying scripture over and over; and to be open to the teachings of the Spirit. It might be fun to see where this topic of "study" takes me.  I would like to think the Spirit of God connects with us physically when we physically touch people or create art or touch nature or any of God's creations.

Scripture #1:
Moses 1:2  And he [Moses] saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.
(More About The Pearl of Great Price)  (More information about Moses and the context of this scripture)
Sketch #1: (nothing too exciting this time.  and kind of cliche. oh well.)


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