On My Daddy's Knees

I made a comment today in our Relief Society lesson on the Sacrament, and the thoughts and memories have stuck with me since then.  The question was how to help prepare ourselves and our kids for the importance of the sacrament.  I spoke up and told how as a child my dad would take his squirmy toddlers and preschoolers on his lap and tell them the story of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection while the sacrament was being passed.  I said that we've found that with Davy that works wonders at keeping his attention to a maximum and his wiggles to a minimum.  Additionally, miraculously, I have found that it focuses my mind on the sacrament in a special way.

The more I remember my dad taking his children in his arms and encircling them with a firm arm and a quiet whisper, the safer and warmer I feel, even twenty plus years removed.  I look at pictures of the Savior with children gathered round his knees and I imagine I know exactly how they feel.  The same security and peace those children felt with Jesus Christ I felt during those quiet moments when my dad testified of the essence of the gospel to my young heart.  I more vividly remember being the older child, capable and expected to sit quietly by myself while a younger sibling was quieted by my dad.  I would sometimes lean closer just to hear a few words of the story, or the feel the tenderness of the Holy Ghost.  Later, when I went through a terrible teenager phase of refusing to be touched by my parents (I'm so sorry!) I admit I still sometimes glanced over with a little bit of envy at my younger sisters and brothers getting those special moments with my dad.

I often see my role now to keep my little ones somewhat quiet so that others can listen and feel the spirit.  Those times when I forget that and instead help them and me feel the Holy Ghost by telling of Christ's love for us are the best times.  The sought-for quiet and calm come as a result of the testimony told in terms a child understands.  Davy now knows that he will get a story about Jesus, or sometimes Abinadi, or Nephi, during the sacrament.  I love how serenely he sits on my lap, how engaged he is in the words of the gospel.  Edward will listen for a few minutes, too, when I tell him the bread and water are to remember that Jesus loves him, that Jesus loves Daddy and Mommy and Davy, etc.  I love glancing down the pew to Collin with one or the other of the kids in his arms, whispering a story in their ear and hope they feel the same spirit that I remember from my childhood, the same one I feel now when we are doing everything just right, just for a few minutes.

Mt Vesuvius Commemoration Party

Are you ready for some serious geek?  Here goes!

Salve!
You and your family are cordially invited to indulge Rachel's nerdiness.  Come commemorate the anniversary of the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius with a volcano reenactment! 
There will be Roman-inspired
crafts and snacks.
Please come and enjoy conlocutio cum amicis bonis in our backyard forum.

Pueri welcome!
Togas optional.

August 24, 79 AD was the Plinian eruption of Mt Vesuvius in Italy, that covered Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash and a pyroclastic surge of hot magma.   I was looking at the calendar earlier this month and realized one, that the anniversary of Vesuvius blowing its cap off was coming up, and two, that we needed a party--one to call our (my) own (I'm not sure Collin wants to claim this one!!).  And what better than an obscure event of Roman and geologic history?  It was an awesome chance to truly make this event special and educational.  We invited some families we don't normally remember to invite over (or can't see the size of our apartment and the combined number of kids jiving for a sit down dinner) and had a real part-ay!

 I drew a map of the bay of Naples on a shower curtain from the dollar store and created our own special volcano.  The magic of the evening will come later--you have to wait patiently, just like the kids did, even though the curiosity was overwhelming.

I had a few crafts set up.  We designed the Colosseum out of marshmallows and toothpicks, created mosaics, and dug for bodies in the "ash" (homemade moon dough).  All the activities were awesome, until it was more fun to throw everything at each other instead!

Before:

After:

I could not resist this skeleton guy from the dollar store (Halloween stuff out already?!).  I love him watching the party from his perch of lava.

Refreshments were simple, a combo of Italian and themed.  Pizza, bread for dipping in garlic olive oil, nuts, grapes, olives, Caprese salad, grape juice, excavation (dirt) cups, lava cakes.  It was a good spread.  I'm already envisioning next year's centerpiece Vesuvius cake with sparkler candles and ice cream cones, however!

Ew, yuck, flour and mineral oil does not taste good!

I'm telling the "story" to preface our volcano eruption.  The favorite part--at least of the adults--was the end.  "And they all died."  Yeah, didn't really think that one out fully.  Until I was winding up the story of that fateful night, I think I didn't truly realize that there was no happy ending.

But our kitchen science eruption was actually pretty cool.  We did the Diet Coke and mint Mentos first for the mushroom cloud of ash and pumice, then baking soda and colored vinegar for the pyroclastic flow right after.  The trajectory was incredibly perfect, and covered Pompeii and Herculaneum just as it ought.  I was very pleased, in my inner most nerdy heart.

It was an awesome party, if I do say so myself.  The first annual Lambourne Vesuvius Night--just wait til next year!

Edward Gets a Moment

Foods Eddy likes:  graham crackers, apples, watermelon, carrots, chips, quesadillas, pasta, pizza, salmon burgers, sweet potato fries, yogurt (plain and flavored), quinoa (sometimes), fruit drink, peaches, cheese sticks, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Foods Eddy dislikes:  goldfish crackers, tomatoes, lasagna, beans, berries (on their own)

Games Eddy likes:  peek-a-boo, hide and seek, racing/running, wrestling, jumping, sliding, balls, clean up, copying Davy

Games Eddy dislikes:  swinging, keep-away

Edward had a pretty good start/trial run for potty training.  He had some great successes and seemed eager and interested.  However, I'm getting the vibe now that it's time for a break.  I guess the constant discussion and focus was getting boring and annoying.  And worse, I lost my patience about an accident one afternoon and hurt his tender little feelings.  Saddest sight ever!  So he's back in a diaper and seems to feel safe there.  We'll keep the door open and try again when it's clear he is more ready.  He knows all the right answers and has the skills started, and I think when we pick it up again later it will be easier for both of us.

Picture Practice

 

Davy's drawing on the chalkboard.  There is Samson and Davy.  Can you tell who is who?  I'll give a hint:  The number of legs is key!

My hearts just aches with the simple gloriousness of my boys' art.  Their depictions of the way they see the world, the way they express their feelings, the careful and deliberate act of putting pen (or chalk or crayon) to paper to draw or "write" something is lovely to me.  Even the green crayon scribbles on the wall, the "bunny" that appeared on our white carpet, the hopscotch that started to emerge on the other part of the carpet--even these make me smile (after the reminder of "only on paper" and when the boys can't see).

I got an unexpected compliment on my photography from a professional photographer friend yesterday.  It was very warming, and practically the first thing I did when we got back home after running errands was to break out the camera for some more true practice!  I feel like it's been while since consciously practicing and it felt good to stretch a little again.  Nothing like recognition and a compliment to encourage learning!  It was an incredible lesson for me to remember--to remember to acknowledge others' talents, and especially to use those positive reinforcements with my kids.  It works!

The result, though, is that it's hard for me to choose which pictures to put up here.  I delete all the absolute nos but am left with several of the same pose that I like, all of which get posted.  So you're welcome, or sorry, depending on how you feel about multiple pictures!

I love watching these brothers' relationship grow.  It seems so strange, and yet so normal, that they can be hugging each other one minute, then running each other over the next.

A little explanation:  the jump rope was being used as a fire hose and "squirting" me.  I was shrieking in response, much to the delight of Davy.

Midweek catch up

Davy is so good at taking care of "his baby" Samson, just as I have taken care of mine.  Davy figured out all those buckles on the baby carrier himself and took Samson along for the ride on his adventures.  Just like real life!

Collin picked up this old mirror frame from trash day a while back.  The mirror was cracked and so obviously had to be removed.  It sat for a little while until I figured out what I wanted to do with it, then a little while longer after I knew what I was going to repurpose it into.  Finally on Saturday I had no excuses to let it wait.  Last Thursday I'd pirated knobs off a trash day dresser that was broken, but the hardware was brand new and lovely.  Now, a few holes and screws later, it displays (and most importantly keeps untangled) my jewelery.  I've worn my jewelery a lot more frequently the last few days since I can now see what I have and reach it without undoing seventeen knots first.

I have been seriously missing my horses and riding exercise since we moved here, but this summer it seems to have intensified.  Walking is lovely and I am so grateful for my double jogger, but something was missing about the pace and that exercise burn.  Every time I drive by the Charles River in Cambridge there are loads of runners (I'm not a runner) and bikers.  The scenery is just so beautiful and I couldn't get the idea of long, flat, smooth trails out of my mind.  I went on a mission to find myself a bike, a double trailer for the kids, and a bike rack.  (We will eventually get Collin a bike too, as running next to us is fine for a little while but not nearly as fun as biking with us would be!)  About $200 later we are ready to ride.  Here is a video of our maiden voyage.  It went so well, we'll be back out there soon for a much longer ride.  There are plenty of nice bike trails around here in addition to the Charles River parkway to explore!

Martha's Vineyard Carousel

The carousel in Oaks Bluff on Martha's Vineyard is the oldest continuously operating carousel in America.  It was a beautifully preserved and remarkably down-to-earth carousel.  I was impressed how relaxed the staff were about the antique horses (it probably helped that they were teenagers!), keeping in mind that the purpose of a carousel is children's joy.  A tradition of the Flying Horses is to grab rings from a dispenser as you go around and around.  The person who catches the gold ring gets a free ride.  We didn't win a free extra ride, but we did ride twice just for the pure pleasure of it, and Davy caught a bunch of rings to stack on his horse's "unicorn horn."