Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Funny Words

This evening, while Brandt was doing his homework, the radio was on.  Classical 89 specifically.  At the conclusion of a piece of music, the announcer said that the composer had been a lute player, and so in the composition we had just heard, the lute had been featured prominently.  Following this comment, Kent, who was unloading the dishwasher, said, "I would rather play the sackbut than the lute."

"Sackbut!" Brandt shrieked in delight.  "Hahahahaha! Sackbut! Sackbut! Sackbut!"  

I gave Kent a look--a look of some displeasure.  When he realized that he had just given Brandt free reign to say "butt" as much as he wanted, he gave me a sheepish grin and chuckled right along with Brandt.  

I should probably point out that by saying "sackbut," Kent was perilously close to breaking one of our new family rules, "Do not speak impolitely."

This whole exchange did cause me to look up a sackbut and we thus discovered that a sackbut is a Renaissance trombone.  Now, having learned something today, I can go to bed.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

FHE

The sharing time theme on Sunday was, "If I keep the commandments, I can return to live with Heavenly Father."  We talked about how commandments we get from our Heavenly Father are like rules we have in our homes.  Several of the children were asked about the rules in their homes and they shared wonderful examples.  I wanted to re-emphasize the sharing time lesson, so for family home evening yesterday we talked about how commandments give us safety and peace, and how rules in our home can give us the same thing.  Then we each came up with suggestions for rules, both "Do" and "Do not" rules.  I asked the children what they felt would be appropriate so that they felt some ownership.  Here is the list we created.

DO RULES
  • Eat healthy foods
  • Say please and thank you
  • Read our scriptures every day
  • Take care of our things
  • Speak calmly and gently
  • Have family home evening
DO NOT RULES
  • Smoke or take drugs
  • Hit or punch
  • Break things
  • Speak Impolitely
So far, for the day and few hours that these have been our family rules, we have done very well at not smoking or taking drugs, nothing has been broken, and we did read our scriptures this morning.  I think the other rules will be something of a challenge, perhaps much like keeping the commandments.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A Note

Everyday I include a little note in Brandt's lunch.  They are not long or elaborate in any way, just a little something he can read.  I might write a little poem, include the week's spelling words, or tell him what a great kid he is.  At the beginning of the year, Brandt had Ms. Medaris read them with him, but now he just reads them himself, or he doesn't read them until our walk home or the next morning while I am preparing that day's lunch.

This morning, all on his own, Brandt decided he should write me a note.  He posted it on the bulletin board next to the calendar, and proudly pointed it out to me.  Here it is, in all its glory.

I suppose I should be pleased that Brandt spelled everything correctly, but I do wish, in this respect, he wasn't such a boy.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Reading Out Loud

Brandt and I are on a reading kick.  My January book group book was The Hobbit, and I thought Brandt would probably enjoy it.  There are dwarves and goblins, a shape-shifter and a dragon, fairies and battles, ogres and an enormous treasure.  Plus there was a magic ring, riddles, huge eagles and wolves, and true adventure.  What boy wouldn't love a book like that?  Just after Christmas we began, and we finished the day before my book group the third week in January.  It was wonderful!  Brandt was so intrigued by the story, gave it rapt attention, and has such a vivid imagination there were moments when he got almost too nervous to have me read.  Here is an example.

Early in the story, not long after Bilbo and the dwarves have begun their journey, they come upon three ogres.  Ogres are huge, especially compared to Bilbo.  They are around a fire talking, and Bilbo, who has been sent to spy on them and find out what's what, decides he is going to steal a purse out of the pocket of one of the dwarves.  Unfortunately, the purse is enchanted, and as soon as Bilbo picks it out of the ogre's pocket, the purse says, "Oy! Who are you?"  Bilbo is immediately grabbed and swept up by an ogre.  Brandt and I are in his bed and I am reading this section.  I read about Bilbo being picked up, and Brandt interrupts me and says, "I want to read Happy Pig Day."

"What?" I said.  I was pretty into the story myself.

"I want to read Happy  Pig Day," Brandt said again.

"Is this making you pretty nervous?" I asked.

"Yes!" Brandt said instantly.

We had a pause in the action so I could explain that none of what we were reading was real, that there are no ogres or Hobbits or dragons, that we were only at the beginning of the story (I think we were in chapter three) and that Bilbo was going on to have other adventures.  He was going to escape from the ogres.  Brandt said I could go on, so I did.  But I will tell you that wasn't the last time we had to stop and talk about fiction not being real.

Our reading of The Hobbit was so wonderful, that I wanted to start another book right away.  Ms. Medaris, Brandt's teacher, had been reading My Father's Dragon out loud to the class, and Brandt had really been loving it.  I discovered it is the first of three and can be ordered as one book with all three stories.  It arrived just in time for us to read those three (My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland).  When those were finished I pulled out a short Roald Dahl book, which we followed up with a longer Roald Dahl, then a Flat Stanley book, and now The Tale of Despereaux.  We should finish that one this week.  I am not sure there is anything I love doing more with the children than reading to them and with them.  I love to have Brandt read to me, and I love that Blythe is wanting to read too.  I have begun working with her a bit more so she can read as well.  I am glad they seem to like it as much as I do.



 






Sunday, February 17, 2013

Sunday Play

We have stopped watching TV on Sundays, which I love.  The house is quiet and the children usually play really well together.  This past Sunday, Kent finished a can of cracked wheat and turned the empty can over to Brandt.  Blythe wanted one too, so I emptied another and they began drumming.  The cans were apparently inadequate for their needs, however.  They pulled out the recycling garbage can, dumped the contents on the floor, and began creating.  While it was a mess, they were both engaged in wonderful, creative play, building, cutting, playing for almost an hour.  Totally worth the mess!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

A Bit of Warmth

 
We've had a day or two of slightly warmer temperatures.  Look! You can see the grass!  Blythe took advantage of a sunny day and went out to swing.  We really need to get out more.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Ice Skating

On Friday, the first graders had earned the privilege of going ice skating.  I got to go too.  Brandt was so excited and talked about it all week.  I really like the kids in his class and so I was kind of excited too.  I couldn't really imagine a whole lot of six and seven-year-olds on ice, but some of them did really well.  I don't think I can really include Brandt in that group.  He did not take to ice skating like a fish to water.  No.  It was something of a struggle to say the least.  Brandt kept leaning backwards which threw his center of gravity off and caused him to fall on his bum.  I kept encouraging him to bend forward at the waist, but my suggestion fell on mostly deaf ears (just like normal).  Then Brandt kept trying to skate like he was walking, putting the heel of his foot down first.  That doesn't work when you are ice skating.  Again, I encouraged him to keep his toes down and glide.  Another largely ignored suggestion.  I spent most of the hour picking Brandt up off the ice.  He did manage to launch off on his own towards the end, and we went around a couple of time with only a fall or two each time.  He had a great time and I was happy I got to be with him.

In addition to the skating, Brandt got to ride the bus to the arena.
Too fun!

Brandt spent a good portion of our hour skate just like this--on the ice.


This is the top of Brandt's head.
He is clutching me around my legs, trying to stay upright.

Lisa and Kyle


Miss Medaris (Brandt's teacher) helping Omar and Jaden and Morgan

Troy and Morgan and Izaiah
Morgan really likes me and must have skated up to me 16.5 times to say,
"Look Mrs. Barrus! I'm skating!"
All 16.5 times, I responded,
"Morgan! You are fantastic!"

More lying about on the ice.

Kierzten and Kayla 

Me and my lad, together on ice.

Kelton and Brandt, who found crawling across the ice somewhat less intimidating.

David, whose first time it was on the ice.

And Brandt again.

Monica, who did very well.
At one point in time she was literally skating circles around Brandt as he lay on the ice.


Look! He's skating!
All on his own!
Yeah!
By this point in our skate, my back was killing me.

 The general pandemonium after our skating.
Everyone seemed to have a great time, although I'm not sure
if I'll be able to get Brandt back on the ice any time soon.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Funny Children

Yesterday, Brandt was looking at a the Lego booklet that came with the "girl Legos" Blythe got for Christmas.  They came in a pink box and have pastel colored Legos.  Brandt loves to look through the booklets that tell you how to build whatever it is you've purchased, mostly because there are lots of other sets at the back he likes to drool over.  So yesterday he says,

"This is Blythe's.  I'm just looking through it to tease her."

At least he's being honest.

The Little Birds

With the cold weather and snow, our bird feeder has been very popular.  It hangs in the backyard where I can easily see it from the kitchen window.  I love to see the little birds out eating.  They are very messy and much of the food from the bird feeder ends up on the ground.  It gets eaten, but more slowly, and over the last couple of weeks, with all the snow we have gotten, it gets covered up.  We had a warmish day or two last week and the enormous pile was fully revealed, showing how much has not been consumed.

Yesterday, the second day in a row of all-day-snow, I looked out the window and saw a bevy of quail scratching for the seed.  A dozen of them were huddled together, flinging snow onto each other as they worked their way through the snow to the seed underneath.  I must confess, it delighted my soul.  I was so happy to see them out, getting what they needed from our yard.  I hope they come back every day.