Slicing Mushrooms

Asher:  Wow, Mom, you're a really fast chopper!

Me:  Thanks Asher.

Asher: (Flashing two thumbs up) I just knew you'd be fast at something.

Well That's Reasonable

Asher: Mom, one day we asked Aggie not to eat the ducks, and she didn't.

Frankie: So we didn't eat Aggie!

3 Bs

Even with school, piano, house, waiting, kids, ducks, dog, and waiting, I'm afraid I've got a bad case of the 3 Bs.

Bored
Busy
Broke

waiting-2008

Nate will be home in 10 days. I just might scream the next time someone exclaims "that's so soon!" Time is at a stand still, and until the count is down to a matter of hours, I refuse to count at all.

I need a diversion. Books? Movies? Hit me with your best shot.

The Soldier and the Starlet

Papaw and Penny-who looks as sassy as her cousins.

Quirk

I make lists of names I love for the children I'll never have. Real names for imaginary kids. Old favorites, like Atticus and Finn, are always in the running, but today's choice is Brother. Today I would name my son Brother.

The Ninga and the Indian
by Jensie L Bigler
inspiered By Asher R Bigler

Once upon a time ther was a ninga and a Indian. They wher littel kids and all of a sudden the ninga kid wanted to fight. But youguly the ninga kid was very nice. His father inspiered him to fight some times but he was only playing.

But one day ther was a war. the Ningas kids father did not like how his son yoused his skil. But now his son was old enuf to fight when the war was over the Ningas father had died so his son was now the Ninga master! And so on and so on. the End!

Midnight

Well Frankie, the way I see it we could go to bed or we could just hang out in a laundry basket, all nekked and such. Up to you.

Party in the Back

(NOT) business in front


please pardon the head sweat

Frankie found a pair of scissors and gave herself a mullet. It's pretty rad.

Quadhead

An awesome picture that has nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of this post

Frankie: (Flipping through the pages of the Land of Nod Holiday Catalog) Hey! These are the things for that god that I like.

Me: What things?

Frankie: (Pointing to a picture of Santa Claus) The ones that celebrate him!

Fair Warning

.......................................................................

Overheard: A Difference of Opinion

Jensie: Well I never thought I'd say this, but...these mushrooms are delicious!

Frankie: Are you kidding? This tastes like poop. Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Autumnal Commencement

How's about that hoity-toity title, eh?

School! This year we are homeschooling Jensie and we don't actually go anywhere. I don't believe in un-schooling in case you were wondering. My children are hedonists--they wouldn't do anything hard unless I made them. That includes learning to spell and doing fractions, so I force Jensie to stretch her brain every day for four hours. And yes, we do the hours consecutively even though we don't have to, it just seems easier that way.

Our curriculum is a combination of the things I liked in Susan Wise Bauer's The Well-Trained Mind and stuff I took from A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Van DeMille. We are doing things very classically. Flashcards, memorization, and books books books.

I usually think it's irritating when people say "if it was good enough for me, it's good enough for my kids," like if you grew up on Wonder Bread and Twinkies so think the extra cost of healthful foods is a total waste, but in this case, if it was good enough for Abe Lincoln, it's good enough for us. We start each morning with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Mostly because I just like those things.

When we are at the library and the kids bring me a Pokemon book and ask me to read to them, I flat out tell them no. I am willing to read the classics, Charlotte's Web...Alice in Wonderland...any time any place, but I don't want to read crap and you can't make me. A few weeks ago I caved and started reading them the Percy Jackson books. Boo-ring. Won't make that mistake twice.

When I was young my Granny Jennifer would take me and my cousin Thomas to Barnes and Noble and say "Pick out anything you want." We always got Goosebumps and Fear Street Sagas. We'd go straight home to the guest room and read them quickly. Then we'd trade and try to devour one more spooky tale before bedtime.

Having a granny who buys you books is way way better than having a granny who always bakes cookies or smells like cinnamon or something (for the record, all my grannies love books. They are bookish brainiacs). I like to think having a mom who loves books is equally grand. That is why even though I can't stand to read them aloud (out loud?), I let Jensie read anything she wants to on her own.

As I type this, she is laying in bed soakin' up The Tiara Club at Ruby Mansions or something awful like that. I can also hear her singing to herself--what a doll. She reads about 3-4 hours everyday; says the only things she loves are sleeping and reading. I can dig it.

Requisite First Day photos:

The Sea Water school has a pretty lenient dress code.
Frankie's dressed as "a cool mom."

Asher absolutely did not want to stay home with me. When I asked him about it he answered emphatically "No mom. I want a teacher and friends." So he's at a private Methodist preschool and is eating it up! His teacher told me a little secret...he is her favorite. Shhh, don't tell. It wouldn't be fair to the other children.

They go to chapel every Wednesday to learn about how much Jesus loves them, which I think is cool. They don't teach a specifically Methodist doctrine, but I wouldn't care if they did. Asher can be Methodist if he wants to."

Though the leaves won't turn gold or flutter to the ground until about December, it's cooling off here in Dixie and beginning to feel like fall. The start of another school year makes it official. So long summer. It's been swell.

From that Man I Call Mine

"I've been thinking a lot about our life
together. I'm proud of our 8 years together, even if we can't be
together today.

I certainly remember meeting you, talking to you in the Institute,
dancing with you, holding your hand for the first time. You stand out
in my memory as the most impressive, attractive woman I've ever met.

When I think of what was probably our first date, the one where we
went back to your house and talked for hours about hiking, traveling
and who knows what else. I remember talking about climbing
Timpanogos, you told me you had hiked to the top a number of times
with your dad and I was impressed. I fell in love with you then.

It's hard to say exactly what it was about you that night that
attracted me so much, but it's clear that it was substantive because
it endured through the months we spent apart after that, including the
months I spent in Costa Rica without you and could hardly communicate
with you. We were able to enjoy two months together 24/7 without
getting bored or irritated with each other. I found that amazing.
And it has persisted through 8 years of marriage.

You're beautiful. I thought you were pretty when I noticed you in
class. You stood out with your mixture of good looks, confidence and
personality.

While I was in Costa Rica without you I realized that you were worth
investing in. I remember noticing other women in Central America and
realizing that I didn't see any as interesting or appealing as you,
and that you were so alluring that I wasn't interested in any other
woman. That was a novel feeling then. But it dawned on me that if
things worked out while we were together in Central America that you
would probably be the woman I married.

I don't know why I remember some things much more clearly than
actually asking you to marry me. I remember walking down that dirt
road out in the cloud forest in Monteverde and how hard we laughed
when we realized that we had some conflicting expectations about the
future. We had talked for hours about moving to China to teach
English. After talking extensively about it, it must have occurred to
me that there was a disconnect. I said, "I heard we could make a lot
of money teaching English in China." Your response, "You can do that
for money?"

I remember being with you as we crossed the border into Nicaragua and
then explored Granada and Leon. It was unforgettable being with you
when we visited the Boy's Home, swam in Lake Nicaragua, and learned
all about the culture and challenges of life in that country. I must
have been thinking more about spending the rest of my life with you
than actually asking you to marry me. That's probably why it was
anticlimactic when I did ask. And despite some cold feet later, I was
committed.

You remember better than I do that I expressed some anxiety about
getting married, but that also doesn't stand out to me. When I think
about that period as we became engaged and made plans to get married,
I know that I felt more confident and comfortable about our
relationship than I had felt about any relationship I had had since
1994 (when you were in elementary school). I had intentionally been
shallow and superficial with virtually every woman I'd met until I met
you and we latched onto each other during our trip.

That was me falling in love with you."

Awwwwww. Did you melt? Right now I'm just one gooey puddle of sappy melted love.

Eight is Great

I bought you a tree. Black Mission Fig--your favorite. It's just a little thing, and we won't live here long, but who knows? We've been so lucky in love, maybe we'll lucky in figs.
Happy anniversary Nate. I sure am crazy about you.