Friday, January 09, 2009

You Can Do What?

Yesterday, the Enrichment Counselor and I were holding a meeting at my house, brainstorming ideas for our March birthday meeting.* Though there wasn't must to discuss, I had been kind of putting off the meeting because no matter what we do, it takes two hours. This is not necessarily a bad thing: she is a very good friend and we really enjoy each other's company.

We often schedule our meeting for a time when my baby is napping and I put on a movie for Padawan while we meet. But Padawan didn't ask for a movie, instead wanting the Lincoln Logs down from the shelf. I agreed reluctantly. Not so much for the mess, but because Padawan doesn't know how to build with them and I was worried I'd end up on the floor the whole time we were meeting, just trying to keep him entertained and happy. Our set of logs has a set of train tracks with it, and I noted that he was able to quickly put together the tracks. Pleasantly surprised, I thought, "This won't be so bad after all. He can at least play with the train."

Just as our meeting stretched to about 90 minutes, Padawan, who had only been playing about ten feet away from me this whole time, came up and quietly and tugged at my sleeve. "Look what I did, Mommy."



It reminds me of the time when Jedi Master, who was barely two at the time, peered at my "Utah State University Alumni" window cling in the back of the car and started singing the alphabet song--which I didn't recall having ever sung to him before. It is so easy to forget how quickly they soak up information and intently they pay attention when you are in the middle of wiping bums, reminding them to pick up and shouting at them to get their fingers out of their noses.
While the camera was still out, I had to have a picture of the baby who just got up from his nap. YES, that is STILL a bottle. He only gets one when he wakes up, and right before bed. He drinks out of a sippy cup pretty well even, but this provides a great deal of comfort. My other kiddos weaned themselves, but this little guy seems quite determined to break any mold I have experience with. The Youngling mostly seems good at growing curls, squealing, hitting or biting his brothers, tackling anything that will hold still and complaining about what I make for every meal.
And in a rather unrelated note (though I guess the title is about what you are good at), I need to show off my latest scrapbook pages. Scrapbooking mamas tend to get a bit of a bad rap, being turned, I have to say, negative or at least ridiculous stereotypes of Mormon women. I know a bit about unfair profiling: I was a sister missionary, remember? Anyway, here are the pages. I love to just find the perfect paper for the perfect photos and start from scratch. My cheat here is that I copied the layout from one that I saw and really liked. These were taken three winters ago in Logan.



* Our theme is around the idea of realizing your potential as an Eight Cow Woman. Can anybody suggest any classes that might be relevant to them? Either things you want to learn that I can fudge into the theme or things that are interesting and relate to your divine potential? Any suggestions at all would be great. I mean, any POSITIVE suggestions would be great. If you want to suggest just scrapping the whole Enrichment program, then just keep it to yourself. That's all.

18 comments:

Doreen said...

Looks like you got a budding architect there. Kids never cease to surprise you, huh? I'm amazed at how much mine soak up despite my parenting, lol.

The baby's curls are precious! Oh my gosh, he should have been a girl. Are you so tempted to put little hair things in? I would be!

The scrapbook pages look great! I'm itching to get back into it. Just waiting for Elly to get a bit older so she can play while I scrap. She's still so needy, I can't seem to do anything productive while she's awake. And naptime is taken up by chores, and, you know, personal grooming time. :p

What's an Eight Cow Woman? I'm sure I missed something somewhere...

Christy said...

Your kid is a genius!

Here is my two cents about enrichment night: I think for the most part people go to socialize and that no matter what you plan the people who are gonna come will come and the people who don't won't. The ones I enjoy the most are the ones where I am given actual time to sit and visit with and get to know the sisters in the ward; especially since I'm in primary and don't know so many of the people in the ward. Because I am in class all the time I refuse to go to any where I will be expected to sit silently and learn something. Really I think enrichment should be a) totally spiritual b) totally social or c) a service project. But I am in the primary and not on the enrichment committee and those opinions might just be the reason.

Christy said...

WAY cute scrapbook pages btw, I've totally lost the knack over the years.

Sunnie said...

fun pages. i have to admit i lack the fire to scrap much anymore. i am comitted and dedicated so i will finish jada's baby book, but beyond that i'm not making any promises. and your kids are cute. love all those curls! can he send more hair to jada?

Roy Hobbs Media said...
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Kim said...

I love to scrapbook! I love your winter page. I might have to copy your layout! Good job.

Courtni said...

I'm impressed with both you and your son...love that he just created the lincoln logs on his own, and LOVE your scrapbook pages! Creativity and brains must run in the family :-)

Christie said...

Fun post. Great scrapbook pages. And the baby with curls is a doll! About the Enrichment night, when I heard your theme, "Holy Cow" immediately came to mind, but it's probably not appropriate. (My mother has this thing agains mixing barnyard and holy.) If you're going to have a speaker, I think it's always nice to hear that no two people have the same divine potential. "You don't have to can to get into heaven," was a talk/book (?) that LDS women can relate to -- maybe 8 cow women can too.

Caitlin said...

Your kids are geniuses! But you probably already knew that. Don't worry about the bottle, we didn't take Archer's away until he was almost 3 (bad, I know) and the only reason we did it then was because #2 was about to be born.

Slim said...

My jaw literally dropped when I saw what he did all by himself. That is amazing. Amazing. Smart like their parents, eh? And your baby's hair is the best. He reminds me the most of you. Would love to meet that whippersnapper someday...We need to talk. I am the new enrichment couselor in our ward. We are having a birthday party in March as the commemorative celebration. I will email you after our board meeting on Thursday. By the way, cute Sarah Berry took our family pics.

calmrapids said...

I love the pictures. Great fort building! The scrapbook pages look great! Good job!

In our ward I'm working on the March b-day celebration as well. I've been brainstorming today and will finalize on the theme, etc on Thursday. I like your 8-cow woman theme--sounds awesome! Some ideas I had today that might fit include: resolving conflicts through communication--effective communication techniques for communicating with hubby, kids, friends; supporting working women--time management plus the importance of health and finding balance; how to throw the perfect block party--invitations, managing food, etc.; how to find quiet time to read the scriptures daily; and the one I liked the best but I don't know how it would fit in with your theme--Aromatherapy--How to get bad smells out of your house or wherever and what smells you want in. I think we might do that one with a "5 Senses" theme. Visual can be something with home decor, tasting can be learning how to make your favorite dishes healthier, touch can be a massage class, and hearing can be something with music or reading. If you have any other great ideas, post them so I can copy. Thanks!

Christie said...

Okay, I just have to CalmRapids' idea for aromatherapy is just what an 8 cow woman needs! (Those eight cows can get mighty smelly!) All women need humor. Go for making them laugh. :)

chosha said...

You could extend the dairy theme re realising potential. We have natural talents - milk, readily available, easy to access - but other things take time and various kinds of effort - cheese, yoghurt (learning experiences - sometimes things have to go bad before we can make use of them haha), icecream, milkshakes, etc, have some fun with them as analogies.

PS...your kids are so cool and clever.

Courtney said...

I like Christie and Chosha's ideas best. If you have any single women in your ward could you be a little mindful of them--as in don't create classes that are only useful for married women or classes that are just for single women. We know we are single and we know that isn't "normal" in the LDS world and we don't need to be singled out all the time over it. Oh, that sounds so negative and I don't mean it to be so read it with a smile.

Science Teacher Mommy said...

Doreen--check out the old church video "Johnny Lingo."

SH--Everyone keeps telling me to let it be more social. I know, I know . . . I just get frustrated with this (we already have a lunch bunch and a girls night out). I want us to be SERVING more. I feel like in RS we spend a lot of time talking about helping others; I want to do it. We are going to be doing a drive for hygiene items for a local homeless shelter in conjunction with the activity. If the activity is fun enough, maybe we'll collect a bunch of stuff too.

Christie, Chosha, Yankee Girl--we are doing some cutesy clevery things with class titles (including "Holy Cow" for a scripture study class), though it all seems a bit like fluff to me. I even suggested handing out no bake cookies (cowpies!) as an advertising gimmick. I though the counselor was going to glare me down. "That kind of thing might fly in wards with younger sisters, but you would just offend to many of us here." Okaaayyyy. . . . Oh, and no singles, but a lot of widows and empty nesters and women whose husbands aren't members. You know "atypical" Mormon families. (Wait, isn't that MOST Mormon families?)

Kim--Thanks for the email. It is good to let off a bit of steam in a more private forum.

CaLM--Your ideas sound really cool. A couple of years ago, this ward did a whole spa night. Pedicures, manicures, facials, etc. The sisters said it was really fun. The ones who attended that is. If we get over thirty then we are blowing it out of the water. If we don't serve a meal, we get less than 20. We prepare invites for 160.

Keep the suggestions coming, gals, I'll take what I can get.

Andrea said...

I like the idea of working in communication. After all, isn't that what the eight cows are all about. He is negotiating and is unexpectedly generous.

chosha said...

I think it's about recognising potential in both ourselves and others.

PS...that cowpie advertising idea was great - what a nitwit to not like it. /frown/

Ashlee said...

How do you have time to scrapbook?? SO cute! Kudos to you.