Wholesome Recreational Activities

It's been a few years since I've been here on the blog.  That's pretty much what school does to me--resets my priorities!  But, for the next little while I will be posting various thoughts and documentation of our adventures in "wholesome recreational activities."  These posts correlate with a project that I'm doing in a Family Foundations class as I finish up my final year at BYU-Idaho.

I took this project idea from a passage that can be found in The Family: A Proclamation to the World that states, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."  I will be focusing on the last principle--wholesome recreational activities.

First off, what qualifies as a wholesome recreational activity?  It is not something that is clearly defined, addressed, or straight forward.  In my search, I came across a few descriptions that helped me define appropriate activities for our family.

1. "Wholesome recreation provides opportunities to develop skill, learn, build relationships and grow.  The best recreational activities involve the mind, foster creativity . . . and promote moral behavior." 
-- Mark. A. Widmer

2.  "[Activities in] music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics--all can provide entertainment to enrich one's [and the family's] life and further consecrate it." 
-- D. Todd Christoffersen

3.  "[Family] leisure time should be filled with activities that uplift, inspire, and draw individuals closer to Heavenly Father." 
-- Dallin H. Oaks

These broad but clear ideas leave the door open to a wide variety of qualifying activites that we can do with our families.  I particularly like Widmer's article because it does an excellent job summing up why such activities are valuable to the health of a family.  He states, 

"If we make an effort to engage in wholesme family recreation, the lives of our children, and our own lives, will be enriched.  May our children write in their diaries, "Went fishing (reading, hiking . . . ) with my family today--the most wonderful day of my life."

The most important aspect to me is that such activities will require EFFORT on my part as a parent.  For me, that means I might be put a little out of my comfort zone when planning and participating in these various activities.  I'll be the first to admit that I need a little bit of that!

WRA, REL200, Post 1

I've gone mental...

With some of this:

Wood Badge 13-2 here I come.  I was a participant on Course 1023 back in 2010.  This year, I'm on staff as a Troop Guide.  I'm very much a greenie at this voluntary assignment (yep, I know...I'm a little crazy).  It's a whole new experience, I tell ya.  But worth it for all the life lessons.

And more of this:

Yep, I went back to school this year.  Obviously, I'm not on campus at BYU-I in Rexburg.  I started their online Pathway program about seven weeks ago en route to finish my BA.  

Oh my...it has changed my life!  

 And LOTS of this:

Still my favorite part...being surrounded by this particular support group.  

Someone once asked me how I was juggling everything.  Well, my brain hurts all the time.  I haven't exercised it like this in years.  Other than that, it's not all that stressful since we significantly downsized the amount of extracurricular stuff we had going on.  I have to admit that life is just getting better and better each and everyday.

  

I've been pretty terrible at posting on my blog.  Life was busy before...now--just as busy. 

Can you "play in your sleep"?

I've experienced a Beginner Band Performance...such a good example of that good ol' nails-on-a-chalkboard sound (see me shudder).  You try really hard not to plug your ears.  I was expecting the same experience at Aidan's 1st Beginner Orchestra Concert.  You just don't have high expectations from any beginner musical group.  But, it was quite the opposite.   Strings sound so much prettier--no matter how simple the music may be.  We were impressed.

This particular clip is just one section of their "Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."  Seriously, how many ways  can you play this and still be entertained?  Apparently, there's a lot.  They played on one foot, they play with one hand...and the list went on.  But, this was our favorite of all! (and yes, that is Robyn's screaming that you hear at the end of the clip).

Tall Timbers

In our elementary school 4th graders are introduced to the recorder in their music class. As a musician, I love the idea. And, it gave Aidan a real opportunity to explore other musical options besides singing and piano. I cannot tell you how much he has absolutely loved playing. His piano skills have greatly improved since he took on this challenge. I even got my own recorder so I could play with him (since then Robyn and Hunter also have their own recorder).

4th grade Tall Timbers Recorder Group (Aidan is on the far left, red shirt)

This is just a sampling of what they played. They also played some pieces along with the rest of the 4th grade class with percussion instruments and singing. It was a great, eclectic program! (There's a bit of Robyn in here too--she'd be the little girl going in and out of the video)

I can't begin to explain how they "move up the ranks" in the "Recorder World". Only that the highest level of performance is a black belt (shown by a piece of string tied to the bottom of the recorder). Those performing at this level immediately become part of the Tall Timbers and got to perform separately here at the 4th grade program. He's gearing up to play with the Towering Timbers next year...a group that performs for various events throughout the year. Aidan's very excited for that!

I'm learning that Aidan is my instrumentalist. He doesn't care for the singing put he'll whip out a song on the piano or the recorder any day. He's already wondering what instrument he wants to play come Middle School.

Was it Halloween?

Our minds have been on other things this past week so Halloween just kind of took a backseat. The boys had their "character book" parade at school...a great excuse for kiddos to wear their costumes--and probably the only reason why we even had costumes this year. We ended the evening with a trip to Lake Houston Park for a chance to enjoy the outdoors in costume.

Aidan dressed as "Hiccup" (from How to Train A Dragon)This costume was pretty much made from scratch fabric (but I did recycle some pants and a big shirt). Funny thing is, we've never seen the movie but Aidan LOVES the books!

Hunter is Draco Malfoy. Kept getting confused for Harry Potter. You could really tell who knew their Harry Potter characters and who didn't!

Robyn was our little Thing 1. Couldn't get her to stay still long enough for me to get a really good photo. Everyone kept asking where Thing 2 was. Umm, one is enough for me!

Saturday morning we headed down to the:on the Galveston Bay to celebrate Hunter's 8th birthday. It's kind of a cross between a carnival and an amusement park. This was Hunter and Aidan's first time riding any sort of roller coaster. Don't think Jaren and I have ridden one since our high school days. We quickly realized that we don't enjoy them the same now that we're much older.
Aidan and I became rather fond of Pharoah's Fury. We're in the fourth row!

The spinning teacup on the double-decker Carousel was also a hit!

If you ever want to venture down there I have one thing to say: go early!! Notice there are no crowds here yet in this photo! This was by far Hunter's favorite ride (The Bouncing Boardwalk). Sadly, it was shut down half way through the evening.

They had a really small Aquarium (and I mean REALLY SMALL) where you could touch and feed Stingrays. However, it took a long time to get my boys convinced that they would not lose their hand along with the fish they were feeding them! The Stingrays would literally "jump" at you!
We finished our weekend with Hunter's baptism (whom he shared with his cousin) and a birthday party afterwards. Course, it was at this point that my camera battery died...so no flash...

Back to School...again

After almost two weeks of no school due to power outtages at the campuses the day has FINALLY come for the boys to head to school. We've been waiting for this day to come since Ike! We were all going stir crazy! The re-opening of school has been postponed so many times. Honestly, I was afraid it would happen again as I know that there are some schools in our district still without electricity (as well as many residences). I know Hunter was VERY anxious to get back to Kindergarten. Though Aidan is still adjusting to 2nd grade, "anything is better than being BORED all the time!" Sorry Aidan, that I couldn't keep you entertained better these past two weeks.

Funny, I was much more organized this morning than I was on the first day of school back in August.

Maybe NOW Robyn and I can get used to being home together. We still haven't gotten used to it because of various disruptions (illnesses and then Hurricane Ike). So, we'll try this again.

We're off to School!!

Just a look at the boys on their first day of school this year!

This is Hunter's first day of kindergarten! Good luck kiddo!

Starting our walk to school. No buses--everyone walks or rides a bike. All I can say is that even at 7:30 in the morning, it's still too hot outside down here!!

As I look at this photo with my sling bag on...looks like I'm heading off to a day to school too!!

"This is my last day of first grade."

Ahhh, the last day of school has come to a close. Don't we always look forward to our child walking through the door and promptly dumping out EVERYTHING from their desk. Now you have yet another pair of scissors to add to your collection, plus another crayon box, 100s of more crayons, markers, etc. All of sudden your number of notebooks around the house has tripled. Then, you have to sort through ALL the paper and art...have to decide what to keep and what to throw away. Course, that's always the hardest part--DECIDING what to keep and what to throw away.
But, my favorite part was getting to read a year's worth of journal entries written by my 1st grader. The best part is the phonetic spelling of his words. Here are some of my favorite entries (unedited):

1. October 22, 2007
I playd with geo trax on my brothers birthday on satrday that was the best part of my weekend. Did you know that my brother acshle trnd five on the ninethtingth not on the twoneith

2. October 23, 2007
My monster is big and scary and strong! My monster has twelv legs and nine eyes. I think you wod not wont to get ner my monster.

3. December 17, 2007
The best part of my weekend was I got a notepad and I rit stiky note on it! Did you know that stikynote is a note that is stiky it is funny.

4. December 19, 2007
First get a mixing bowl.
Second put sum flour in the bowl.
third ster intill your arems hrt.
fourth put sugar in the flour.
last put them in the ovin and take them out.

5. If the Polar Express stopb at my house I wold get on.

6. December 21, 2007
What is the difrints butween Green and blue
A. Yellow
B. red
C. Green
Blue

7. January 24, 2008
If I would get stuck in a snow storm, I would put the wind shild wipers on and lisin to my CD player with hed fones or go sleding or make a snowman. I will drink hot coco. I will do a snow ball fhite.

8. January 29, 2008
If I had a magic pebble, I would wish for a stunt car with the remote! I will wish for a trampuling! I will wish for a pupy! I will wish for all legos! I will wish for a holl bonch of colring paper!

9. February 5, 2008
If I were 100 years old, I would go to the super ball and wach it.

10. February 21, 2008
If I were president, I would get a lot of peace. I'd be rich. i'd stop the wars. I'd let everybudy have freedom. I will make my contry happy. I'd read a lot of books.

11. February 27, 2008
This is the way I take care of my teeth. First I brush my teeth. Second I flos my teeth. Third I rins my mouth out and spit the water out. Last I eat then do it all over agen.

12. March 24, 2008
The best part of my Spring Break was when I swam in my Grandma's lake. Now I know I have a baby girl. I wanted a baby boy.

13. March 31, 2008
The best part of my weekend was I got a hear cut. I went to K.F.C. and I got a kids mill! I went home and I will eat my kids mill! I don't like to have food made at home. I don't rily don't like haveing no dinner.

14. April 3, 2008
My favorite part about going to the zoo was when the monkys that were makeing a mess! They were like a donky like on ponokyo! That is funny hahahaha! They were orraitang! I had a monkey blast!

15. April 7, 2008
The best part of my weekend was I played my game cube on Friday night! My dad and me played mareo party 7! We played intil 10:56 at night! I had a blast!

16. April 16, 2008
If I were a frog, I would say my name backwerds going ribit but I haft to hide orels I will get cot. My name backwerds when i'm a frog I would say ribit ribit ribit. I'll cach a fly afterwerds.

17. April 22, 2008
The best part of my weekend was I went to a party! There was a big efladable alagator! The alagator was for the children won't both the adolts. The adolts were taering krofish clas. Krofish stingk.

18. May 7, 2008
My mom cook the best chochlet rise krisby treats because I love the taste. Their so chochlety. I eat them when mom makes them.

19. June 2, 2008
The best part of my weekend was when I went to the pool. I jumped off the diveing bord. I did a caninball and a frontflip into the pool. I had a blast! That was on Saturday. My brother did not go on the diveing bord. He had a blast. My mom and dad had a blast too!

I could comment on many of these entries--but that would take too long. It's a delight to see that he has recorded many of our family adventures. If you need clarification on any of these entries, just ask!

Show me the ropes!

This afternoon (among my busy day) we attended Hunter's Kindergarten Round-up. Don't know why I cleared a whole hour for it. It took twenty minutes. We just wandered around the five kindergarten classrooms here at Timbers Elementary to meet all the kindergarten teachers. Hunter was completely out of his element. So, instead of his usual "monkey in a jungle gym" self, he was actually calm and...pleasant. Aidan was with us as we approached a kindergarten teacher that knew Aidan from last year. The conversation goes as follows:

Teacher: "Hey, Aidan! Are you here showing your brother around?"

Aidan: "Yeah, he starts kindergarten next year!"

Teacher: "How fun. You can be a cool big brother and show him the ropes!"

Hunter (to Aidan): "What ropes?!"

Aidan: (whispering to Hunter) "I don't know what ropes she's talking about."

Hunter: (irritated) "SHOW ME THE ROPES!"

Aidan: (irritated) "I don't know what ropes she's talking about!"

Hunter: (VERY irritated) "I WANT TO SEE THE ROPES!"

Okay, this escalated for only a few more seconds. Had I let it continue, there would have been a fight. Hunter really wanted to "see those ropes"...or else!! I was somewhat entertained listening to these two trying to figure out what "the ropes" were. The teacher finally calmly explained to both of them what she had meant by the phrase. Then the boys were completely disappointed that there weren't actually any "ropes".