On how to do your laundry...

This is how I liked to do laundry: every single load on one day. 

This was my reasoning: I only have to do it once a week and then it is done. 

This is what my mother said: "You should do one load of laundry every day." 

This is what I said:  "No thank you.  I like it my way."  (Insert M's whiny "my" if you'd like.)

This is what happened about one month ago:  I decided to try doing one load of laundry every day instead of doing it all on one day.  I do not remember why I tried, but I remember that it WAS NOT because I was listening to my mother.  (Insert M's opinionated "No I didn't" if you'd like.)
This is how I felt about it:  "This is great!"
This is why I thought that:

1.  I cut the amount of trips up and down the stairs carrying big heavy laundry baskets down significantly.
2.  Laundry was almost over before it began.  I can usually fold yesterday's load while putting today's load in.
3.  We are not left with our most worn-out, unmatching clothes for the end of the week.
4.  Our clothes are not wrinkled from sitting in the laundry baskets while I get around to folding them.

This is how I felt about sending E to kindergarten: Not excited.
This is what I did last year when I could have sent E to kindergarten: I didn't.
This is how I felt, and continue to feel about that decision: Great!
This is what my mother said about sending E to kindergarten (and Justin, and everyone else): You should send E to kindergarten.

This is how long I stewed about sending E to public school kindergarten: 1 1/2 years.
This is what I considered doing instead: homeschooling.
This is why:  I could not figure out why - if I believe that it is my sacred duty to teach my children, which I do - I was sending her away for the major portion of the day to get this learning from someone else.

This is what I knew deep inside me: That even if I really felt the above to be true, E was supposed to go to public school kindergarten.
This is when I finally knew it was I supposed to do: In the Temple right after little Clark left us, when I sat and thought about my children.
This is what I did: I signed E up for kindergarten.

This is how E feels about kindergarten: GREAT! (Do not be fooled by those frightened faces below.  She has been dying for this day to come.)
This is how Justin feels about kindergarten: GREAT!
This is how I feel about kindergarten: Slightly irritated, but content that it is the right thing.
This is how my mother feels about kindergarten (and everyone else):  It's about time!

This is: E off to kindergarten

This is what E is wearing: Her "Hello Kitty" shirt from Grandma, her purple pants ("I will wear all purple today") and her "Hello Kitty" socks.  She made sure to keep her socks up high enough on her legs that you can see her socks.  Justin was WAAAYYYY excited.  Me?  I like the personality of her dress choices.  And hey, I never knew how to be trendy anyway.

You know...

I have a feeling it will turn out like the laundry.
I will like it better than I thought.

Beach

Thank you everyone for all your great book suggestions.  I'm excited.  And if you come up with anymore, please let me know.  I have a year ahead of me!

****

Here are my pictures from the beach... mostly without comments, but I tried to pull up as many as I could stand downloading.  I don't know if that is good for you or bad.

Getting buried by Uncle Danny.  She didn't stay in their long, but she sure loved it.

This is similar to my favorite picture from the beach last time.  Justin with all his kiddoes.  How times have changed.  E would barely hold his hand long enough for me to take the picture.  She was ready to rush into the ocean.

Digging a hole in the ground with Daddy.

What else???  Playing ball.

Poor E.  I bought her new swimsuits, but still got a size too small.  Derelict mother.

M loved the water.  She would run in and when a wave came up she would scream and run away.  Over, and over, and over again.

This is to help me remember to send these pictures to Christina.  Now she can regularly get on my case.

I know, I know.  But honestly there isn't one picture of me on the beach.  Justin usualy runs the video camera and I take photos.  It results in some lopsidedness in our record keeping.

Having a tea party with Grandma Paula and the cousins.

Sitting on the lion bench.  GQ would often roar when he saw it.  One person thought he was crying.  Not that he didn't do that too.  Boy did we have a lot of fun!

Pick your brain...

So, when I teach ballet classes we always read a short picture book (or shorten a longer book) at the end of class and then "dance like our book."  Since last year I used most of my favorite books, and I want to have a two-year curriculum to keep boredom at bay, I need your suggestions.

These are the topics we discuss in ballet:

The 7 Movements of Dance (to twirl, to jump, to stretch, to rise, to bend, to dart, to glide)
High/Medium/Low
Movement through Space - Patterns
Emotion
Tempo
Energy (sharp, soft)

Example of books I've used are:

"Going on a Bear Hunt" - Dancing like swishy grass, getting stuck in mud, etc.
"Waiting for Wings" - Dancing like butterflies
"Barnyard Dance" - 7 Movements
"Room on the Broom" - High/Low

Sooooo, do you have any favorite children's picture books that have good images for children to dance like?  I'd appreciate hearing all your good ideas.

Squished In Between

Here are some fun things we did between "big" things on our trip back West.

... played in the back at Aunt Becky's.  These are the three cousins born in the same year on my side of the family.  Are we surprised that E is the shortest?  They had definitely had some fun in the mud before the photo.

... GQ slept.  This was after a car-nap.  I didn't think he'd transfer, but being on vacation wears a guy out.

... feeding the ducks (and obnoxious pigeons) at the park in Vegas.  We were so attacked by birds we actually had to kick them away.  Not a good habit to be teaching GQ, but who wants birds pecking your feet?  The pictures really don't do justice to how many pigeons were there.  In Iowa we're "not allowed" to feed the ducks.  Apparently bread is not their "normal" diet.  So, the kids had fun getting to feed the birds again.

... getting rocked by Dad before the Las Vegas sun drove us to the pool at Grandma C's.

... walking around the Las Vegas Temple.  You'd think being out west would give us a chance to go to the Temple without a 2 1/2 hour ride each way.  But, I was lazy in Utah - definitely NO excuse there - and both the Vegas Temple and the San Diego Temple were closed for cleaning while we were in town.

That is not sweat on GQ's shirt.  He poured water on himself.  Actually, he drank water and then spit it out on himself.

Almost perfect.... except for that tongue.  Do you think I could photo-shop it out?  I mean, if I were talented at photoshop or something?  Which, I'm not.

Swimming at Grandma Duck's.  E couldn't quite manage to jump off the diving board, although she insisted on trying several times.  GQ did jump off... and definitely regretted it.

The sun was definitely in their eyes for this picture.

Yes indeed... GQ did have a Birthday...

While we were in Utah, GQ had his birthday.  2 years old!  We had given him a bike in Iowa - that he couldn't quite ride by himself - so there weren't any glamorous presents from Mom and Dad.... BUT, he did get a cake.  And it did have balls all over it, courtesy of Laura and her excellent skills. 

Cousins Cody and Andy saved the day by bringing a present to the party.  GQ has been obsessed with this train ever since.  And I am more than happy since it has magnets that work both directions - instead of idiotic hook and eye contraptions, and I no longer have to put his train together all day.

Little things make me very happy.

A toast to a wonderful birthday.

I was surprised how much GQ enjoyed saying "my birfday, my birfday."  Maybe if I'd known how pleased he would be, I would have planned something more exciting. 

But probably not :)  After all, M didn't get a "real" present until she was 3.  So, GQ is definitely ahead of the game.

Happy Birthday GQ!!!!