2010...so far

2010 Journal

01 Jan 10, Friday

The new year began with fireworks and pots and pans and a trumpet with our wonderful neighbors, the Jessons. A couple of the kids were brave enough to wield sparklers. We had watched the first two “Home Alone” movies and I don’t know when I have seen Nathan laugh so much! We arose late (around 8 am) and proceeded to make breakfast. I had quietly dubbed 2010 (in my own mind) to be “the year of the dish” in which I mentally committed to remove the dishwashing task from my wife upon every opportunity. The trouble is that she’s so clean and thorough and possesses such a low tolerance for clutter that I arose that morning to find very few dishes to conquer. May all of my resolutions be so simple! For the children, Emily and I both agreed that 2010 will be “The Year of Obedience” for our children. I was more conscientious about having a family prayer before I loafed into work at about noon. I checked in with a few students and their families. I found my clinical director stressing out in her office over sending out what might be the wrong driving directions for people to attend the memorial service to be held tomorrow for our friend’s daughter who passed away suddenly at four months old. I called and reached Tekulve and he assured us there was a stake center at the coordinates where Google showed an open field and Jennifer calmed down when he texted us updated directions and she went home. I had a couple more students to talk with. I was mid-sentence explaining why a family session had not occurred when the room suddenly pitched about 45 degrees and I found myself upon the floor. Staff in the investment area who had seen me go down asked if I was okay. “No, the room is still spinning.” A few minutes later they were able to help me into a chair and called the nurse to come take my blood pressure. Nothing unusual was found and I called Emily to please bring the children in the van and pick me up at work just in case. I don’t know why I fell down suddenly and I hope it does not become a reoccurring problem. Students and staff were asking what I did for a New Year’s party. Not long after we got home, Tom, Sherri & Steven Tyler arrived to lead our family to see some Christmas lights. On some Orem hillside, we parked and watched quite a lightshow synchronized to music on the radio. The children ooh-ed and awe-ed and we left a small donation in the box as we left. Back at our house, our small family party doubled when joined by most of the members of the Johnson family, Emily’s cousins, and we had food and hot chocolate brought by Cheri, et al. The Johnson girls lead us in a few games including questions (where no one was allowed to make a statement) and a large circle of Uno. They also entertained with piano and voice with several numbers from Phantom of the Opera.

02 Jan 10, Saturday

Made charts for the kids such as the following:

Matthew’s Happy Morning

1) Wake up

2) Pray

3) Dress

4) Scriptures

5) Breakfast

6) Play

7) REWARD!

The list is on the refrigerator with a magnet he moves like a board game piece. A piece of candy was attached to number 7. Matthew understood immediately what he was to do and ran to his room to say a prayer and asked for help getting dressed. Hayley and Nathan had to have similar lists. Printed out Scripture tracking sheet for Hayley. Attended the memorial service & luncheon for the Martial-Vann family at noon. On the way, Matthew pretended, as usual, to be racing with other cars on the freeway. We explained to Matthew that when people die, their bodies stay on the earth and their spirits return to be with God. He seemed to accept that. He also played an imaginary game about what special features (wings, jets, invisibility) our car would sprout if he pushed certain buttons. . Watched the kids while Emily did some errands and attended a wedding reception. Kids fell asleep “camping” in the living room listening to the 2^nd Tennis Shoes among the Nephites book.

03 Jan 10, Sunday

Our smallest child is now in Primary. Matthew sat in the front row of the primary room with his new teacher and appeared to be a little apprehensive – but he enjoyed himself and came home wearing a little sun (for Sun Beams) on a string around his neck, explaining to us how the sun helps him be quiet. He likes his teacher and some of his classmates moved up with him from Nursery. Nathan came home with a CTR ring and a little CTR box – very excited about his new class. Hayley told us that she thinks she memorized the Plan of Salvation.

04 Jan 10, Monday

Found the Orem Fitness Center after work and lifted weights with two coworkers. While it was good to get started making progress, it was also obvious that I had not been lifting weights for about eight years. My arms would give out rather suddenly and I had to move to successively smaller weight sets. Emily told me that the magic of Matthew’s sun beam he got yesterday had ceased to work today.

05 Jan 10, Tuesday

Emily introduced her master plan for obedience with children – stickers. The plan is that when they have amassed a pre-determined number of stickers, the family goes out for ice cream. Simple yet effective (if us adults remember to administer consistently).

06 Jan 10, Wednesday

Emily had tutoring in the afternoon. She has been tutoring the daughter of a couple in our ward in math twice a week. She has also been teaching piano to two students once a week.

07 Jan 10, Thursday

Was supposed to go to the gym for weight lifting but ended up missing the other two therapists I lift with and, with no spotters, went to the lower-level of the gym and did a cardiovascular workout by running a few laps around the track before going home.

08 Jan 10, Friday

Worked a fairly long day and came home to help get the family ready to travel to Sun Valley for the weekend.

09 Jan 10, Saturday

Drove to Sun Valley from about 7am to about noon with clear roads, no delays, or car problems. Visited with extended family for the remainder of the day – eating, talking, and shepherding a large and rowdy flock of kid cousins who had not seen each other since the week before Thanksgiving.

10 Jan 10, Sunday

Mom and Verl spoke in Sacrament meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho. They talked about being called as missionaries to serve in New York and shared their testimonies. I jotted down each talk and hopefully can transfer those notes here. Mary Jo and AJ missed the trip. Christa, Casey, and I brought our whole families. Tyler came with his 3 kids but without Sara who was sick at home. Grandma and Grandpa Stahn, Uncle Dan and Aunt Tana, Uncle Bob and his two youngest boys, and Aunt Evelyn were there as well as several of Verl’s children with their families.

11 Jan 10, Monday

Went on the first snowboarding trip of the year. Was pleased to report to my kids at Family Home Evening that I had not forgotten the few skills I had learned the previous year. For FHE, Each family member gave reports from the hearth/stage about their new church classes in 2009, teachers, lessons, and one wonderful thing about themselves. Matthew talked about being a Sunbeam, Nathan explained about Choosing the Right, and Hayley outlined the Plan of Salvation from memory. Emily told us about the changes in the Relief Society meetings and a lesson from Sunday School about Heavenly Father (ala the Book of Moses). I shared how elders become high priests and why I am not one yet. I also told them about a lesson reviewing the talk from the most recent General Priesthood Meeting about building relationships with our fathers & sons. After each person’s presentation, members of the audience were able to ask the speaker questions which added to the fun.

12 Jan 10, Tuesday

Emily went to a dance exercise class (called “Zoomba” which name the kids enjoy) at the Orem Recreation Center and I took the kids to a restaurant to redeem their rewards for obedience. Emily has been giving them stickers for each time they are obedient with the agreement that they get to go out for ice cream when they reach a certain number. The four of us each had root beer floats. Matthew was a bit messy going back and forth between spooning out ice cream and stirring it with his straw. All had fun.

13 Jan 10, Wednesday

Have been listening to Jesus the Christ when I drive to and from work. Have also been listening to Mere Christianity again. I have been working on getting paperwork done at work, but really have not been in the office that much. I need to get things tied up there – it feels like I am in paperwork debt with interest compounding. Emily went to a home school meeting tonight. Nathan, Hayley, and Matthew have played with me much of the evening. I enjoy playing with them, laughing, and having fun. Right now Nathan and Matthew have fallen asleep and Hayley is listening to “A Child’s Prayer” from the Children’s Songbook and the Radio.LDS.org program “Scripture Stories” – tonight we were listening to the conflict between Sherem and Jacob. Prior to that, we read scriptures from Heleman 13 & 14 and talking about the signs of Jesus’ birth and of his death as well as the need for each of us to repent and rely upon Jesus to become clean and return to be with God.

14 Jan 10, Thursday

Back to the gym and boy are my arms wobbly! It’s amazing – plenty of power and going strong and then, suddenly – Kaput! and then I’ve got a bar coming down and my spotter has to save me. Not sure why my arms give out so completely so quickly. Came home from the gym and helped get the kids to bed.

15 Jan 10, Friday

Arrived at work prior to DBT skills group meeting at 9am and spent a day full of therapy, coming home after 7:30. Emily says Friday was “a good example of what happens when we have low-structure” at our house. In other words, the children were quite naughty. I got to hear the details when I got home.

16 Jan 10, Saturday

Emily went to “Zoomba” class again. She hasn’t shown me the dance she does in that class yet. I got to teach Hayley and Nathan the nuances of “Old Maid” while she was gone. We also squeezed in a few minutes of “Mario Brothers X” fan-game which the children really enjoy because we can plug in a second keyboard and have both Mario and Luigi playing at the same time. I think the kids particularly enjoy the games because of the variety challenges, tools, and puzzles. When Emily returned, I went to work on my computer emailing files and paperwork information. At about 4:30 pm, I went to the campus, cleaned my office, printed signed and filed paperwork, and did a couple of therapy sessions that got rescheduled during the week. Came home and had another late-night chat with Emily about school curriculum/schedules, budgeting, and child obedience/parenting.

17 Jan 10, Sunday

Our family was up and out early that we might stand in holy places at the naming and blessing of Blake Nelson, son of Stephen Lee Nelson & Christa Lee Ridley Nelson. I stood in the circle with Steve, Verl, Steve’s father, and others I don’t know. Blake was calm and was looking up at his father with much interest as he was blessed to be “good in sports,” “serve a mission,” & “marry in the temple.” Then we said goodbye to my parents who will be entering the MTC tomorrow and the rest of the gathering and departed the meeting between sacrament and the first talk so that we could arrive on time for the Windsor 2^nd Ward Conference. I had to bring Matthew home between sessions to change his pants which he somehow managed to wet. Then he wouldn’t let me leave him in Primary – so I made the deal that I would watched him and Nathan from the side of the classroom if Matthew would at least take his seat with his class and stop making a scene. This Matthew promptly did. After Priesthood meeting, I needed a nap – I don’t know why Priesthood meetings – which I very much enjoy – leave me feeling so tired. Maybe it’s the Spirit? J Emily outlined with the children a very elaborate home school plan she has been working on and they each chose activities they would be able to work on during “structured play” or “play stations” time. We also watched a couple “Animated Hero Classics” videos along with a “Adventures from the Book of Virtues” on BYU TV before reading 3 Nephi 1 together. Right now, Emily is looking online to see if YouTube has useful episodes of the 1980’s Mousercise videos for a sort of PE class for the kids until the weather warms up.