Visiting Teaching Socks

When some ladies go visiting teaching they may feel like a treat is required. (I am not saying that is a bad thing. I just don't do that. But I love to be on the receiving end. HeeHee.) Some people feel like they need to bring a fridge magnet or a cute handout. In our house, we have to wear certain clothing.  More specifically Emily has to wear a certain clothing. Visiting Teaching Socks. When I announce that we are going visiting teaching the world must stop while she puts on her special socks. If Emily wants to go visiting teaching she will come down the stairs in the morning all dressed and announce "I'm wearing my visiting teaching socks today!" (Hint, Hint. Please can we get out of the house today?) The other crucial part to our visiting teaching routine is - according to Emily - "Mom I am shy when we go visiting teaching." Which translates to "I will cling to your legs and not say a word." As opposed to if we are going just to visit "I will go play and join in the conversations." I am curious about where these "traditions" have stemmed from. I definitely don't do the same thing every time I go visiting teaching. As no root source has been identified, I have decided it's probably nothing more than my little Emily being, well, Emily. Cute.

A Shark Tale

A tale of one small boy's encounter with an even smaller shark.

We have a small rubber stuffed shark. I'm talking like eight inches long and an inch and a half wide. Small. This is where the story begins.

A few weeks ago we were playing in the play room and Ethan kept on pointing at something like he wanted it. After a lot of trial and error I finally figured out it was the shark he was pointing at. And it wasn't because he wanted to play with it. When I went to hand Ethan the shark, he started crying and ran away as fast as his little legs could carry him.  He wasn't just afraid, he was terrified. Fluke? I thought trying to give Ethan the shark again. Nope, apparently not. What could have caused such fear? I questioned the kids when they came home from school and they all denied teasing Ethan with the shark. And I think they answered honestly. Then. Now would be a different story. After Jacob chased Ethan around waving the shark at him, I put the shark up on the bookshelf in the piano room. Out of sight, out of mind. Or so I thought.

A week later Ethan was playing in the piano room under the desk. I thought, "How cute." He was smiling, didn't seem in any distress. Perfect time for a quick shower. After my shower I heard Ethan crying and asked Emily to see if Ethan was stuck somewhere. (He likes to flip the piano bench over and climb inside and routinely gets stuck.) "Nope, he's still sitting under the desk," informs Emily. What? Ethan was indeed still sitting under the desk crying but he was also pointing at the shark. He was too scared to leave.

I feel bad that he is so scared of the toy so occassionally I will bring the shark down to show Ethan its not scary and see if he can become accustomed to the toy. I think its working. His reactions are not so extreme although he still doesn't want anything to do with the shark. Most of the time the shark is on the bookshelf hidden behind pictures, but Ethan will still point and ask "What's that?" whenever we go in the piano room. 

However, as I was putting the garbage back in the garbage can for the nth time, I couldn't help but wonder "What would happen if I put the shark in front of the garbage can cupboard?"

To Infinity and Beyond!

Jacob: "Mom - what number is one bigger than infinity?"

Me: "Infinity is the biggest number. It really isn't possible to have a number bigger than infinity."

Jacob: "Oh, so beyond is bigger than infinity."

Me: "Well..."

Jacob: "That's why AND is between infinity and beyond because they are two separate numbers. It isn't infinity-n-beyond which would be one number. It's infinity AND beyond."

Me: :)) (Can't argue with that one.)

Family Ski Night

Our family (minus Ethan) for the first time this season finally went skiing together. (Rick and the 3 oldest go every Saturday.)  After all Rick bought me skis, boots, and really expensive mittens for Christmas - I had better go night skiing at least once. (I think he really wants me to ski. Well, at least get good enough to ski the bunny or intermediate slopes with Emily. I will "never catch up to Lindsey and Jacob.") By nature I am a very nervous person and don't like to take risks. Especially when I have seen a lot of injuries from a certain said sport in the ER. I told Rick on the way up that I was ready to move off the bunny hill.  I was skiing down the bunny hill feeling pretty good with my skill level (even if Emily was beating me down the hill.) Rick even stopped to give me some pointers as I was now "teachable." Then Rick announced, "You are ready we are all going up the lakeview triple." I was ready! This was going to be great! Then I got on the ski-lift and remembered that I really don't like heights and Rick started to give me pointers. "OK you will do just fine. There are a few pretty steep parts but no big deal just do what I say." Now I was worried. We all got off the ski lift just fine. Lindsey and Jacob zoomed down the hill. Emily snowplowed down the steep parts and was off. Rick got me down the steep parts. I did not fall, but I did not like it one bit. I was getting nervous. It was dark. There weren't many lights. I had never been on the run before. And it was icy. Then Rick turned to me and said "You are on your own. I have to go catch up with Emily." What!!! At this point I seriously freaked out. However I took a deep breath and realized I could either ski down, walk down or take the ride of shame. (I maybe a wimp but there was no way I was going to take the latter option.) I eventually made it down the hill - sitting down once (NOT falling). After a hot chocolate break with the family - we skied the last few runs together down the bunny hill. Actually, I was left in charge of Emily and she thought it was great. I even had to do things to slow myself down so I wouldn't get in front of her. Even though family ski night was essentially mom alone on the mountain for most of the night, Rick was right I could ski an intermediate run. Hooray for mom!

"Lost Generation"

I actually read one of the mass forwarded emails as opposed to just deleting them. (Sorry, the truth is out.)  Kudos to the video's writer. Let me know what you think.

Bucket List

This is a "tag" blog. The following is a list of things you're "supposed" to do before you die and you indicate which ones you've done. Purple are the things I have done. Orange - I'm OK if I never do those things. Black means someday I would like to do those things. This post made me realize I really need to visit Europe!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (if anyone answers no on this, they are lying)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31.  Hit a home run (if "whiffle" ball counts)

32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie "Little Green Walking Hood" anyone?
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Ridden a horse
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Ocean
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

I tag whoever is interested in sharing this info with us.

Random Thoughts

I've had a serious case of writer's block lately. Not that there haven't probably been events that are "blogworthy" - I just can't seem to put the fingers to the keyboard so to speak. Hence I am going to write some of the random thoughts I have had lately and hope that the creative juices flow soon. (For your sake as well as mine.)

Food:

• Fruit cocktail is one of the greatest things ever. I don't even like to eat it, but Ethan loves it. (I buy the naturally sweet kind.) It is so easy to pop open a can and give it to him for a tide over while dinner is cooking. Plus I feel like I am sort of teaching him to be a healthy eater. Its a win-win situation.
• Lebkuchen. Ahhh. It is a wonderful thing. It makes me happy.
• Why is it that when I am trying to lose weight all I can think of is food? (And not the healthy stuff either. See above.)

Weather:

• 65 inches of snow in 6 weeks is too much snow. For anyone. Sane. Or insane.
• Pouring rain after 65 inches of snow in 6 weeks is just wrong.
• Just keep repeating to yourself that the summers here make it all worth it. (Picture is a view of Sandpoint in the summertime.)

Kids:

• Why in the world is "poop"(and all its derivatives) such a funny word for kids? Our kids are obsessed with it. One night Rick had them say poop and then haha at least 50 times thinking they would "get over it." No such luck.
• Why are my kids never ready to go to bed on the nights when I am sooo ready for their bedtime?
  
• Why is it the house can be clean for most of the day with Emily and Ethan home but when Lindsey and Jacob come home from school it looks like a tornado whipped through the house in 5 minutes flat?

Miscellany:

• I just really like the word miscellany and there are so few chances to use it in everyday language.