This and That

We did this bubble experiement and the girls had fun with this for over an hour. It was pretty fun

Then, there was a little bit of snow so we went sledding. The cousins joined us, along with our recess group, and we had a great time!

And, Camille wanted her hair cut. I just think she is the cutest thing with this cut!

 

Project Based Learning

 In December, I decided to try something different with Child #2 who often struggles with motivation: switching to project based learning.

I gave her a list of subjects that are non-negotiable and that she has to do (math, reading, writing) but then said we were going to try something different- projects. Her first project would be to do a magazine about The Medieval Times. She was very excited and really dove into the project. So much so, Audra and Camille asked if they could make one, too. So, Audra made one about sleep and Camille made one about wolves.

We got lots of books from the library and they all researched for hours. It was actually quite impressive! 

So, we are continuing with the trend. Last week, they each presented a biography of an historical figure- Buddha, Erik the Red, and Charlemagne.

And, this week? They spent hours designing and building this Viking ship:

So, I would definitely say that Project Based Learning is a success. Now I need to come up with an idea for next week!

The Inauguration

 Lots, and lots, and lots of happy tears.

Here is what I wrote on FB about The Inauguration (and then I will go deeper):

I am not naïve enough to believe everything is going to change overnight. And, here's three things I am excited about and look forward to:

1. A president who is kind. Oh, how I have missed having a leader who is kind!

2. My daughters will grow up thinking having a female Vice President is normal. What a blessing for my daughters and our country!

3. This poem by Amanda Gorman is everything. If you couldn't bring yourself to watch the Inauguration, it is worth taking the time to listen to this poem about America and our pursuit to form a more perfect union. Her words are stunning, and written for all of us. With young women like her, our future is in good hands. Link below.

(also, Garth Brooks, Lady Gaga singing the Anthem and proclaiming, "The flag is still there!" - chills! , and the "Celebrating America" Inaugural celebration on TV last night-all wonderful things!)

https://youtu.be/0xvkAQTeSfE

(Joe Biden: If you're working with me and I hear you treating another colleague with disrespect, talking down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot." Presdient Biden while swearing in White House staff)

It is no secret I am not a fan of 45 and am thrilled to see him gone.

Waking up this morning was such a relief! No more incompetence, no more hate filled rants, no more attacks on legitimate news sources just because you don't like what they say, no more separating families at the border, no more lies, lies, and more lies- everyday, lies. No more!

Hearing President Biden speak! Oh, to listen to complete sentences with correct grammar- as if that wasn't enough- to listen to him speak of love and kindness, of working to help EVERY American, not just the ones who voted for him, of acknowledging the 400,000 people who died from Covid. It has been 308 days of the pandemic, and not until today did The President of the United States acknowledge and honor the victims.

I cried a lot while watching The Inauguration.

Never again will our country not have had a female Vice President. Hearing Kamala Harris sworn in was incredible. To go from a president who brags about grabbing women by the pu$$y, to having a woman as VP is just wonderful! Every American should rejoice in that.

Women have been overlooked and undervalued and disrespected and belittled and told they weren't good enough and underpaid for far too long. It was emotional seeing her get sworn in. We are still not equal, but we are getting there. I have so much respect for Madame Vice President and what she has done and accomplished- despite all the hate and vitriol she receives. There is a lot of disgusting things being said about her because of her gender and because of her race. But, she is leading the way and moving forward in grace and dignity. My daughters can look up to her and know that anything is possible. I didn't have that growing up. I grew up thinking a woman's value was only in the home. While, obviously, I am a stay at home mom and I am grateful every single day for that, that was my choice. Not every woman should be forced to make the same choice I did. We desperately need the female perspective at all levels- from the home to The White House.

Seeing Kamala Harris get sworn in is a feeling I don't ever want to forget. One of hope, gratitude, elation, and pure joy. This is a tremendous day for women everywhere! I am so proud to be a woman and to be raising strong daughters- daughters who I know have the power and capacity to change the world and do and be whatever they want to do and be because of women like Kamala Harris and all who went before to make this day possible.

Everything about The Inauguration was simply wonderful. I love the pomp and circumstance. It was very different- definitely the smallest crowd size of any Inauguration, no argument there, but one that showed a respect and love for ALL Americans- not just the ones who look like the president. It was one of unity, kindness, and JOY.

So much joy and relief today! Four years of terror are over. I feel like I can breathe again after 4 years!

It's a new day, a new dawn, a new life- and I'm feeling GOOD.

Inaugural Foods

 The girls, unfortunately, had Cloverleaf so couldn't watch The Inauguration Live with me, so I mostly sat and the couch crying off and on by myself, but- we did still celebrate, and we are going to watch the recording of it together.

With the help of Pantsuit Politics, I put together a menu for the day:

-"Raisin' The Minimum Wage" French Toast with Affordable Care-amel Sauce

-Indian Tiki Masala to celebrate Vice President Harris' Indian heritage (Audra and Claire made the yummy flat bread)

-Joe-nuts for dessert

Also, just for fun, my girlfriend's Birthday was today so I put together this meme. For the past several days, I have had this song in my head. It IS a new day, a new dawn, a new life- and I AM feeling good!

Snapshots of Life

 With Covid getting worse and worse each day (but hope in sight with an administration that believes in science and a vaccine within reach!), our days have been pretty mellow. 

Here's the girls all reading the same book because they formed a book club with themselves and needed to finish their reading. Honestly, walking downstairs to this is quite literally the definition of Heaven:

The girls brought the tents in for school. Our school had never been so quiet!

Our YumBox for this month was The Netherlands. This is the best investment! We love these boxes so much and get so excited when it comes each month!

Sixteen Years

Sixteen years is a long time, but it sure seems like we were just married yesterday. Instead, it was 16 years- and quite a bit has happened since then. Three kids, 7 years of homeschooling, 6 houses (3 of them investment properties), 4 cars, 3 jobs, 2 cruises, 2 trips to Disneyland, 2 SuperBowl wins (Seattle and Denver), 1 chronic illness, 1 pandemic, and so much more.

Courtesy of the pandemic, it was a pretty mellow celebration. My in-laws watched the girls, we ordered take out from a new Italian restaurant called Gallo Italian Supper Club (despite the weird name, it was delicious! Very authentic, which is good since it is run by a family from Sicily).

Then, today we spent the day organizing our basement. Ben's office is in the basement, and it is really an office/junk room. Since he hasn't had to really use it as an office, it has been my craft room, gaming room, book case room- just a hodgepodge of just about everything. We have lived here for 12 years and never really organized, so now is the time to finally do it.

Really, we just have TOO MUCH STUFF. We worked on making the basement more organized to move items from the office to the main play room so it is better for him as an office since we expect him to be working from home long term.

We really did have a lovely anniversary, but then we dealt with the true reality of living together for 16 years!

This is the basement at its worst- we had to take everything off the shelves and just put them in piles. Then, we moved the shelves around, purged a ton of stuff, and put them back on the shelves based on color. This is per The Home Edit, who preach that everything should be organized by the colors of the rainbows. I do think it looks pretty.

Ahh....this is much better!

We still have way too much stuff (my children are hoarders and never want to give anything away, put their Legos back in the boxes after they build, or anything of the sort. Sigh), but it looks way better. We were able to move the TV/gaming consoles out of Ben's office, we are getting rid of a lot more stuff in his office, and he is ordering a smaller desk that goes up and down so he can get a desk treadmill so he can exercise while he's working. It's hard for him to sit in his desk all day, so this should help his health. It isn't perfect, but it is way better.

Side note: Food storage takes WAY TOO MUCH SPACE!!!!! Honest, it takes up almost half our basement. It's ridiculous.

It's a massive project, but in the end it will be worth it.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Funny Story

 Here's a funny story between these more sobering posts.

We were reading scriptures, and the scriptures in Joseph Smith-History are quite long. We were each reading one verse and Camille says, as serious as serious can be,

"Do I have to read this? This one is a DOOZY!"

We all got a great, and much needed, laugh!

The Traitors Stormed The Capitol

Today started out normal. Great, actually. The girls were finally able to go back to Cloverleaf! YAY!!! I had the whole day to myself. Which was good, because I had a lot of business type phone calls to make.

Then I read a book and took a little nap. Everything was perfect.

I woke up an hour later and had 84 text messages. Ummm.....what?!?!? Who died?

Oh, it was worse.

Traitors stormed and overtook the US Capitol, under our pathetic narcissistic toddler president.

Shots were fired. Congress was evacuated. 

Why? Because they were fueled by lies and conspiracy theories that the election was fraudulent and Biden lost the election- with ZERO evidence and ZERO facts supporting the lies. But, because 45 supporters have all ability to think, they decided the disinformation they were hearing was true and decided to use violence to enforce their nonsense.

This is where we are at as a country- conspiracy theories and lies leading people to sedition and committing acts of war at the very symbol of our democracy- the US Capitol.

There truly are no words. This is a day that will go down in infamy as one of the most disgraceful days in our storied history.

Memes are really the only way I can express my thoughts on this...

Thankfully, the coup failed. Hopefully the 25th Amendment will be invoked and this traitor/monster will be gone forever.

This is my Congressman, Jason Crow, in the middle- comforting the woman on the floor. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I bet he never thought he would face a war zone in Congress. But in Trump's America, we bring the was to the homefront.

I hope these traitors are arrested and charged with treason.

2021 Predictions

 A volcano erupting in Iowa? Boston sinking into the sea? What on earth will 2021 bring? I'm almost scared to consider it, but here we go:

1. By this time next year, with the distribution of a vaccine, we will reach "herd immunity" and will be able to go inside restaurants and stores, and big events will be happening.

2. Audra will be attending the local high school and loving it

3. We will be planning a cruise

4. We will be able to go to Seattle

5. Drew Locke will still be the Broncos quarterback. Another losing season.

6. Trek (where the youth from church go pretend to be pioneers for a few days in Wyoming) will be postponed until 2022, but girls camp will happen. Right now trek is scheduled for the end of May.

7. Ben will still be working from home. He is hoping he never needs to go back to work.

8. Claire will get braces. She is not excited about this, but I think her getting braces in on the horizon, Covid permitting. While Covid is still rampant, she is off the hook because we don't want to be going while it's still a concern.

9. Trump will fail in his attempt to stage a coup and will lose his power. He, or someone in his family, will be indicted and will be wearing an orange jumpsuit full time.

10. Camille will get to again enjoy her true love: Basketball

Please let the world be mostly over Covid by this time next year!!!!!