A Royal Flush

(Oct. 2010-Kirsten waiting to go trunk-or-treating)

Dave-o has been getting into so much mischief these days. His desire for independence is driving us all a bit crazy; and he's only twenty months. Throwing things into the toilet has been Dave-o's latest delight. I'm not sure what he enjoys more: having a bowl of water low enough to play in or seeing our disgust when he is caught. 

Earlier on this week, the kids and I found some of Kirsten's play dishes and tea kettle in the upstairs toilet. To all of our horror, the water in the bowl was contaminated. Yep! Someone had urinated in it and forgot to flush. So, what did we do? Nothing. 

Three or four days passed and I had completely forgotten about our toilet nightmare until a stench began to fill the hallway near the forbidden bathroom. Kirsten lectured me on the fact that we needed to take care of the problem, but I just couldn't do it. Kirsten then said, "Dad needs to clean it out because he's a man. Men don't care about gross stuff, huh?" I agreed with her wisdom and was planning on reiterating her words to David as soon as he came home from work; but I forgot. Later that evening I heard David complaining of a horrible smell upstairs. Next, I heard water running and a toilet flushing. He joined me downstairs to tell me what I already knew; that he had just taken toys out of an unflushed toilet. I then repeated what Kirsten had prophesied earlier on and we both had a good laugh. I'm glad that my "man" doesn't care about gross stuff.

Birthday Festivities

Justin had a tough decision to make on his birthday: His scout troop was to go camping at the beach. If Justin chose this activity, he would miss the stake youth flag football tournament the next morning. This tournament is an annual event and Justin looks forward to it all year long.  After much prodding and coaxing from his friends to join them at the beach, he chose football (not a huge surprise there). Justin scored a few touchdowns and threw some as well. His team won all three games. As I drove him home I asked if there were any regrets with the decision. The answer was a confident, No. I am thankful that our stake offers these kind of activities for the youth.

Yesterday evening, Kirsten, Dave-o, David and I accompanied Justin to the mall where he picked out his birthday presents. I usually don't do this, but all of the things Justin wanted required him to personally be there. He picked out a hat from Lids, shoes and football gloves similar to what his football idol, Chris Johnson wears. Justin broke them in during the flag football game. 

Our two campers (James and Steven) returned home today and were happy to learn that we saved the cake and ice-cream festivities for them to be apart of. Happy Birthday Justin!

My Son

My dear son,

Right now I know you're going through a roller coaster of new emotions. You recognize that your parents are flawed and have horrible tastes in music. You seem to question every value we have taught you and every truth you believe in. We know it's a hard time for you, making the transition from the adolescent to the man, but we understand that it may be the only way you're going to figure out who you are and who you want to become.

Justin, I know you are struggling with the high school atmosphere. You are seeing and hearing more evil than I ever did at your age. It is more than any teenager should have to witness. During these dark moments, remember all the miracles you've seen. Remember all the love that is poured out to you on a daily basis as well as the love and service that you give to others; for this will make you a better person. Life is difficult but there is not a difficulty that can't be overcome. Enjoy the moment, learn from the past and focus on the future. Pray every day. Be open to all kinds of music as it can enrich your spirit and uplift your soul. Follow your instinct but listen to others. I know there are times when you don't want to talk to your mother, so hopefully you have built a network of reliable and trustworthy adults to help guide you in your life: Your grandparents, your aunt and uncles, your cousins, your Bishop, your YM leaders. Talk to them. Remember that all people deserve your respect no matter their color, social status, religion, culture and personal beliefs. Watch good movies. Be a loyal friend and be a good brother to your four younger siblings. They look up to you more than you'll ever know. Always be grateful for what you have and know that you can never give too much. If you're ever feeling lost, look in your scriptures for direction. Learn how to forgive. TREAT WOMEN WITH RESPECT. Love unconditionally.

I know that I am not a perfect mother, but I am doing the best that I can. I have faith in you. Remember that I love you. Your father loves you. We always have and always will. Never, ever doubt or question this. 

Happy Birthday, my 16 year-old son. Go. And embrace your journey.

Your Mom

School News

It's been a while since I've written about what the kids have been learning lately.

Kirsten recently learned about red blood cells. The donuts represent the cells (as they look a bit like donuts) and the gumdrops are the antigens that distinguish the blood types: A, AB, B and O, The following week, her science teacher taught the class about the respiratory system. A cow's lung was even brought in for the children to see. I am impressed that Kirsten doesn't get grossed out by it all.

James and Steven have been learning about the four types of bridges: the beam, arch, suspension and the truss. They built a Warren truss bridge using popcycle sticks and a hot glue gun. Their teacher brought weights to put on top of each bridge to test the strength. Steven's broke at 20 pounds and James' withstood the pressure of all the weights which was 45 pounds.

With a new semester, Justin is starting over with a clean slate. This last semester didn't go very well. The work that he did was excellent. He would consistently score A's and B'a. But unfortunately, the zeros from missed assignments and lack of motivation/organization resulted in four F's. Thus far, I have been impressed with his turn around behavior. I have noticed in Justin a desire to do his school work and stay organized. I am praying that this will be an ongoing trend for him.

Justin is also signed up to attend EFY Provo, UT in July with his two friends, Kyle and Merek. James qualified for early registration as well, but is waiting to see if any of his friends will be able to get in. If not, than he'll try for next year.

Who is this Fourteen Year Old Boy?

My James is fourteen today. Words cannot express the amount of love I have for him. James is my workout partner; my reliable safety net; my Jr. Mr. Fix-it; and the list goes on. In his young age, James has already  proven to be a great leader, yet he is very quiet and shy at times. He has an incredible grasp with anything science or technology-related, yet he struggles with spelling. If he is given a task to do, he will knock your socks off with the finished product; unless it deals with doing chores. 

In many situations James might be described as being a "serious" child, but he also knows how to have fun. His fun is usually with odd trinkets like magnets, paper clips, rubberbands, plastic water bottles, etc. James spent yesterday morning helping his friend out with his Eagle project. When I pulled to the curbside to pick him up, he excitedly jumped into the car with these little kid Christmas glasses on (as seen above). He explained to me that he had found them on the playground of the school where the service project had taken place and he couldn't believe his good luck at finding them. Apparently these magical glasses turn bright lights (like the reflection of the sun on cars) into snowflakes (does that make sense?). The littlest things capture his curiosity. Things that I would consider "junk" (like the glasses) are valuable to him.

What I love most about James is he still doesn't view himself "too old" to cuddle with his mom. If he sees me sitting down on the couch, he'll hurry over to stake his spot at my side. I hope he never outgrows this.

 Grandma and Grandpa Zinn and Uncle Michael came to our ward to see James be ordained to the office of a Teacher. Afterwards, they (except for Michael) came to our house for dinner which was oven roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, rolls and corn. Presents were then opened and played with.

While waiting for dinner to finish cooking, James made a cube with his "Bucky Balls". After taking a few pictures of him with this creation, Dave-o came up to me holding a now squished cube in the same pose as James and said, "Picture". I was shocked that he knew this word (saying it perfectly) and found it amusing that he is now posing for me. He laughs each time the camera flashes at him. What a goof ball!

James requested a flourless cake for dessert. It was so decadent. Good choice James!

My Sick Boys

My two Davids have recently been under the weather. David has been fighting off a cold for quite some time. Last Sunday he woke up to plugged and achy sinuses and ears. With doctor's offices being closed, I searched online for a home remedy; anything to relieve some of the pain. I found a few articles that recommended drinking a liquid mixture of 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to 8 ounces warm water twice a day. Since we had both ingredients, I put on my witches hat, said a few spells and gave the potion to my sick husband. His reaction to the taste was comical. The twitching and gagging and screaming that this was the grossest thing he has ever had was unforgettable. Almost immediately after forcing the liquid down, David noticed an improvement. He could feel his sinuses opening up. We were both amazed at the results. He repeated the above treatment in the evening and by Monday David was at work feeling great.

Dave-o woke up Tuesday to a fever that progressively rose as the day went on. By bedtime he had a temperature of 103.9 degrees. A cool bath brought it down one degree giving him enough relief to sleep. In the morning, he was cool as a cucumber, but by the afternoon the fever began again. Today he is fever-free (thus far).  Other than being a bit over-clingy with me, Dave-o seems to be feeling a lot better.

Dogwood Flowers

I finally got around to attaching the completed beaded dogwood flowers to a hair comb. It took me a while to figure out the best method to do so (the book left out that important detail).
I love how they turned out. You can even make these flowers embellish a dressy shoe. They'll look beautiful in Megan's hair on her wedding day (that is if they don't fall apart)
My next bead project will be done with Kirsten. She wants to learn how to make a lady bug.

My First Published Book

I finished one of my goals for this year. Using Blurb, I was able compile my blog entries into a book format. My published book arrived on my doorstep yesterday afternoon. Now my journal entries and pictures are at my fingertips. Plus, when my children start to leave the nest (which will be happening soon) they can have one printed out for their own with no extra work on my part.

I was Pinned

Look at this picture closely and you will notice two things of importance. One, I was pinned this evening by two of my sweethearts. Steven earned his 1st and 2nd Class rank advancement and James completed his Star. He has also completed the requirements for Life, but has to wait six months before receiving it. Unfortunately, our previous scout master didn't have frequent Court of Honors. In the almost three years of living here, there had been only one. Our new Scout Master, B. Sundstrom, informed us at a parent meeting that he will make sure these Court of Honors will be held once a quarter. Secondly, Justin is wearing his scout uniform. As we were preparing for this evening's Court of Honor, Justin approached me to ask what I thought he should wear to it. I said, "Justin, you know what you should wear. Make the decision on your own." He proceeded to ask if it were okay to wear his church clothes and I repeated my previous statement. We played this song and dance up until we were literally walking out the door. My mouth dropped when I saw him climb in the car wearing a scout shirt. Then he said, "Look Mom! It's too small for me!" I busted out laughing. The flag patch on his right sleeve was now on his shoulder and only parts of his shirt were long enough to be tucked in. I can't believe how much Justin has grown.


I am grateful that we now have a Scout Master who will inspire and excite the boys to earn badges and advance in their ranks. Maybe this event tonight will give Justin the needed push to start working on scouting again. I would love to see him work towards an Eagle Scout. But for now, we'll just hope he has the desire to earn his Life.

(James, Blake and Matthew)

The Scout Master had the boys take control of the entire Court of Honor. James, being the Senior Patrol Leader, conducted the event. He did a great job especially since he was given the script to read minutes before it began. Sitting on the pews below the stand, I was able to see James in a new light. I was impressed with his leadership skills and tickled by his mannerisms that are so similar to his dad's.

This is a picture of the scouts who were in attendance (which were few unfortunately).

(Ryan, Bryan, Ben L, Matthew, Josh, James, Riley, Ben S., Ben D., Steven, Justin, Brayden, Blake, Bro. Francis and Bro. Sundstrom)

This is a more realistic view of the scouts.

California Missions

Kirsten, along with all the other California fourth graders, is required to study our state's history. Our family decided to use this day to visit one of the twenty-one missions that stretch from San Diego to Sonoma. After researching the ones close to us, we chose the San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (the second mission of CA) which is located in Carmel. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that we could tour the building for free (due to some events happening there later on in the day).

Top: The front view of the mission. It is believed by many to be the most beautiful of all CA missions.   Founded on June 3, 1770

Bottom Left: Father Junipero Serra (built 9 missions) was buried beside the altar in the church.

Bottom Middle: The Nava. The curve of the walls frame the Main Altar.

Bottom Left: The church is furnished with the original paintings and statuary. 

A man at the organ was accompanying a soloist when we entered the church. As we neared the altars, I glanced behind me and found Dave-o following us with his arms folded (I wish I had a better picture). Even he knows when to be reverent. 

 This is the courtyard view of the mission and the "St. John-of-Cross Bells). 

Kirsten is pointing at a statue of Father Serra. Dave-o, Kirsten, James and Steven are sitting in the Prayer Garden. Justin is checking out all the coins that sit in the bottom of the fountain. This was a wonderful opportunity for the kids to see how other religions worship.

While in Carmel we stopped off at the beach and basked in the 75 degree weather. 

We couldn't believe how warm it was! 

Dave-o enjoyed throwing sand (at me and down my shirt); he also kept busy chasing the birds.

James was content relaxing in the sun.

 Steven loves the water.

I love this picture of Justin and Dave-o. 

Kirsten liked running down the same hill that my siblings and I raced down when we were her age.

On the drive home, the kids were also able to see the road named El Camino Real ( the Royal Road) that connected the missions that stretched from San Diego to Sonoma. 

Passing

 This afternoon was perfect park-day weather. We picked up Josh and Matthew (James' friends who are also homeschooled) and headed over to Almaden Lake Park. The kids passed the football and frisbee around for a bit.

 They played and climbed on the equipment.

But they spent most of the time playing tag. 

Dave-o was curious about the jungle gym, but couldn't figure out how to climb through it. Sticking his head and feet through the rope-net was easy; it was the middle that stopped him. Luckily Mom came to the rescue.

In the evening, David and I had dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy with a group of his Saratoga church friends. All sixteen in attendance were united in one purpose: To toast their friend, Matt Empey who died this past week due to cardiac disease. It was touching to hear all the stories and memories of their childhood friend who, unknowingly held them to a higher standard. Matt's steady, quiet confidence and unwavering faith was an example to all who knew him.

A Busy Boy

This is how we keep Dave-o preoccupied during school time. He loves the song that you hear playing and will listen to it over and over and over....

Outdoor Weather

(Steven skateboarding on his ramp)

I am thankful that my children love being outside. The weather was a warm and sunny 60 degrees. Yesterday I was cold for the entire day. So, seeing the sun today was a welcome sight for me.

Steven is still enjoying his birthday presents. The skateboard and roller blades keep him busy. James dusted the cobwebs off his scooter and had some fun as well. Dave-o wants to do whatever the boys are doing at the time. He chases them up and down the street calling after them ("Guys"). Once they have abandoned their play equipment, Dave-o is first at the scene. He tries real hard to use their stuff.

Dave-o loved a game that James played with him. James would first chase a laughing Dave-o (who was holding a noodle). Then Dave-o would aim the noodle at James and make a gun fire sound (pshoo). James would fall to the ground dead followed by a very happy Dave-o.

Charred Gingerbread Houses

I forgot to write about the gingerbread-house-burning-down-party. It's tradition to perform this ritual on New Year's Eve, but for some reason we forgot to. Instead, the boys showed their cousins how to do it on New Year's Day. After soaking paper towels in oil, they finally got the houses successfully lit. Notice my house was not included in the pyro show. I couldn't bear to see it destroyed by hungry flames.

Easy-Baker

While the boys attend their Friday Robotics class, Kirsten and I almost ALWAYS use this time to bake something. Today was no exception. Kirsten brought out her Easy-Bake Cake and Cookie kit and proceeded to bake pink sugar cookies. She cut them out into different shapes and even stamped the letter "K" on one cookie and a "J" (for her best friend Jessica) on another.

Setting Goals

With the new year already upon us, Monday's family home evening lesson was on setting and reaching goals. We read a few stories about Heber J. Grant. He is an amazing example of taking a weakness and making it into a strength by working hard to accomplish his goals. After discussing the importance of making both spiritual and temporal goals, I gave each family member (including myself) a paper with four columns. I asked everyone to write down at least one goal in each of these four areas; Spiritual, Physical, Relationship, and Education. We ended by making some "family goals" to work on throughout the year as well.

I will be using this Martha Stewart book (one of my Christmas presents) to help me accomplish some of my goals that I listed under the "Education" section. Martha does a wonderful job at bringing ancient crafts such as, quilling, candlemaking, botanical pressing, silkscreening, soap making, and block printing, into the twenty-first century. As I looked through the thirty-two chapters of craft techniques and beautiful color photographs, I was particularly inspired to try my hand at beading. A gorgeous beaded white dogwood blossom caught my eye as a stunning hair accessory for my niece to wear in her hair on her wedding day; that is, if she wants to (no pressure Megan). I followed the "how-to" section and have since completed eight petals (some shown in the picture above). This project was easier than I had anticipated. The hardest part of beading may be deciding what to make-and when to stop.