November
I don’t really have much to say – but I’m trying not to leave the blog idle! I have been trying to do some christmas preparations – i finally decided what I was doing for my siblings, but I’m still thinking about tom’s siblings – although I think I might have made a decision. I’ve been trying to make lists of things that my kids might like – we’re trying to be more economical this year so I’m on the lookout for inexpensive things they would still enjoy. We just read the christmas chapter in “Little House on the Prairie” and it was interesting to see the reaction of my kids to Laura & Mary’s gifts – a shiny penny, a tin cup, a stick of candy, and a little cake. I’m not sure they really thought about it in terms of their own christmas!!
On a different topic, I’ve been fighting a cold that I’m wondering if maybe has turned to bronchitis. Tom has been suffering through my incredibly loud (like ear-drum-shattering) coughs that are always worse at night. I actually stayed home from church yesterday, which is such a big no-no with me (although, I pretty much just stayed in bed all day – everytime I got up I felt sick to my stomach). This morning I’m feeling a little better although I am so tired of coughing (and I mean that literally too – my stomach muscles are sore).
On yet another topic, for those who didn’t know, Tom has taken a new job and starts the end of this week. It is located just south of the Denver Tech Center (which means that the commute is about 15 minutes) and he hopes the work will be more interesting, since he will be helping with the transfer of the data systems of his new company from a different state. The only scary part is that this is a contract-to-hire job. The company intends to hire Tom after a six month period, but until then, we’re sort of in limbo. We’re busy trying to figure out the best options for health insurance. But, as Tom pointed out a few weeks ago, this job is pretty much exactly what we have been praying for, off and on. And it kind of just fell into his lap. So we’re putting our faith in Heavenly Father and trust everything will work out the way it should.
Finally, my little kids have been out of school the last week and a half. I’ve been trying to help them “catch up” with writing and math facts, because both of them are struggling in these areas. Talk about such a drama in our home EVERY DAY. Tears and protests about every writing prompt they’ve been asked to write about. Wails about “I can’t do this” and “this is too hard” and “I don’t know what to write”. It’s tempting to just say forget it. I’ve been looking on-line for suggestions about teaching kids to write, but no one really addresses the problem of kids just not wanting to do it. And my kids don’t. It really doesn’t matter what I ask them to write about, they don’t want to do it. Once again I’m face to face with the reality that you can’t make kids do things. You can apply consequences, you can take away priviledges, but in the end you just can’t force behavior. Even when you know what the long-term results will be. Frustrating!!
Well, that’s it for now. I’ll try to put up some pictures soon.