These are two pictures that Breck took today of our spring flowers

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April 26, 2009

I wanted to log a few of our weekly happenings. Yesterday Talia participated in the Federation program with her violin. Basically, this is a time where children prepare pieces and present them in a small group setting with kids from all over the region at all different levels in front of a panel of judges. They then get a rating and later will receive the judges comments. This year Federation was held at the U, which is an area I don’t know really well. I had done my research and found out where to park, but when we arrived the entire stadium parking as well as other close lots were closed due to a big triathalon they were hosting. So I ended up driving around and around in unknown directions (why are the roads and buildings around universities places so randomly?) We found a parking spot but once we asked someone how far our building was away, we realized that we had a LONG walk. It was a very chilly morning, Tali had to go to the bathroom, and she had put on some black dress shoes that were too big. I hadn’t realizes this. So we ran/walked as quickly as we could in what we hoped was the right direction arriving about 5 minutes before Talia was to play. We found a bathroom, and rushed to the room, unpacking her violin. Talia hadn’t had a single minute to warm up or otherwise prepare herself, and upon entering the room she immediately got very nervous. Probably because she was playing the simplest piece of the group she also had to go first. So my sweet little girl stood up with her big brown eyes full of tears, and a quivering voice and said, “My number is 126 and I will be playing Chorus by Handel, and Musette by Bach. She stuck her violin up and started playing. She played as well as could be expected for the circumstances and sat down very relieved. She received a superior rating. We had an enjoyable (though a little long) time listening to the other children, and I was so very proud of her for doing something so frightening. She is such a happy, confident girl, who rarely has trouble trying new things-likely a result of watching her sister and brother doing things first.

Another new development is Capriel’s toilet training. She has been going a little over a week, and really doing quite well. Certainly, she often has to wear Tali’s underwear at the end of the day because she has gone through all she owns in a day, but overall she is making good progress. She is pretty young, but I decided that I would rather deal with it now before the baby comes and I am so tired and already dealing with lots of diaper messes. I love to here her call “I did it”, and waiting for me to yell “Hurray”. She has just make the connection that the baby will wear a diaper and that she is no longer in the baby category. She will say, “big gerl wear underweeah, bebees wear diapers.” She is starting to often wake up after nap time or night with a dry diaper so I know that physically she is ready. However, I certainly am not as on top of it as I ought to be. I often forget to ask her or go long periods of time without even thinking of her toileting needs. Our life is also a lot more complex and there seems to be so many times when I think we should put a diaper on cause we are going here or there and finding a toilet might be inconvenient. It is rare that she is completely clothed. She is such a talker and uses lots of hand guestures exaggerated facial expressions. I love to get her talking just for pure entertainment. She is also able to pedal her bike which is so exciting for her. She loves the flowers and is learning many of their names.

Landen is becoming quite a celebrity in the U-8 soccer circle. Often we will here a parent on an opposing team say after a few minutes of play, “oh that is Landen, we’ve heard of him.” He continues to play the entire field, running his guts out and scoring quite significantly. I think his intensity has made the whole team more motivated and they have vastly improved and are working hard as a team. It is really enjoyable to watch them. He has learned The Rainbow connection that Kermit the Frog sang with broken arpeggios. It is really pretty and is giving me a little view of what might come. He is so happy to be playing soccer and able to go enjoy the nicer weather. He comes home every day with completely black knees from playing ball at recess.

Breck is working hard at her early morning math and starting to make some progress. She is enjoying her garden. We took her and Landen out last night to dinner and a play and she came up with a matching necklace, Sunday shoes, a bracelet, sunglasses, and purse. We watched Charlie’s Aunt, which was a comedy written back in the 1800’s about mixed up identities and confused lovers. She thoroughly enjoys a good theatrical and loves to share it with people. She is playing a lot of Kabelvsky, and Shumann right now and is working hard to create music that is always moving somewhere dynamically. It takes an incredible amount of focus. She had her first soccer game finally this week. She is aggressive and plays hard and is learning to play positions much better.

My mulch pile is still quite large(I got three loads) though we are enjoying the dark contrast that it provides the spring flowers and foliage. Most of the tulips are blooming and I am loving them and gloating about my small triumph over the deer. I bought a couple of large shrubs/trees for a fabulous deal and am excited about adding some hardscape to my yard. I have lots more energy and feel so much better than I have in the past that some days I’m almost frantic with thinking about and trying to get things done and organized before the baby. Sometimes I can’t even sleep at night with everything running through my head.

I am enjoying the flowering almonds, flowering crabs, flowering quinces, and flowering cherries that I observe on my walks or drives. I’m so grateful Heavenly Father gave us such a beautiful ever-changing world to live in.