Real Life

As fabulous as this past weekend was, we've returned to real life.  Real life has its charms as well.

Like last night at dinner.  I cooked a turkey.  A full turkey.  What was the occasion for a full turkey in the middle of September?  Truth be told, it has been in our deep freezer since last Thanksgiving and I was getting worried about it.  How long would it stay good?  So I put it into the fridge to defrost, but I still didn't get to it for a little while.  Then I started worrying about how long it would stay good in the fridge?  Finally yesterday I cooked it up in the simplest possible way-- no fancy marinades-- just a bit of butter and salt and pepper, covered it with foil and cooked it all day.  Lo and behold!  It worked!  And it was pretty tasty.  I've tasted better, but it was good.  I made mashed potatoes and gravy and told the children we were having thanksgiving to celebrate the "Miracle of the Carpool."  I'll tell you more about that in a minute.

The children were ecstatic.  "WHAT?!  Mom made turkey and mashed potatoes for dinner?! HOORAY!  Oh Mother!  This is so good!  Thank you so much for making it."

I'm not exaggerating.  They were truly thankful and enjoying the feast.  All except for George that is.  He sat in his little blue booster chair refusing to partake of the goodness.  This isn't so unusual for him.  Often we have to prime the pump to get him to eat.  That means we force feed one small little bite and then he realizes he likes it and then he happily eats on his own.  9 out of 10 times priming the pump is very effective.  But that one time when it is not effective can get ugly.  And last night it did.  He was mad and the mashed potatoes and gravy were just too grotesque.  He gagged and puked.
Yep.  I force fed my kid and he threw up.  Feeling pretty good about my mothering skills.

Tonight there was some redemption.  I made a turkey soup-- following absolutely no recipe I might add-- and it was quite tasty.

But would George agree?  Would he partake?  Would he suspect it was made from the same ingredients that nearly killed him 24 hours earlier?

  It worked!!!  He ate his soup and who would have guessed that it was the carrots that won him over. 

We're in full swing with school and I will say I am quite happy with how the school year has started off.  We have our traditional paper and pencil work, but each of the kids also has an online technology class.  Elinor is doing an Electronics and Circuitry class with a Snap Circuits Kit.  Bethany is doing  Foundations of Drawing, Sculpting, and Animation and Faith is doing Foundations of Engineering with an Engino Simple Machines Set.

Abe started to help Faith build a design this evening, only to discover what I already suspected.  We were short quite a few pieces and will have to wait for them to mail them to us.  I spent too long making an inventory of what we had and what we were missing.  I would like to be compensated for my time.
I've spent a lot of time getting everyone set up on their online courses and getting all our ducks in a row.  I think there is a lot of value in technology and online education, but I'll admit it is a challenge to get it all figured out.  I'd rather stick to paper and pencils, but because I'm pretty sure education and society will continue to move that direction, I'll get on board and try to understand it better.

I almost forgot I said I'd tell you about the Miracle of the Carpool.  Here's the long version.

Last Wednesday was audition day for both Elinor and Bethany.  Elinor was trying out for the Riverton Children's Choir and Bethany for the Lyceum Orchestra.  They seemed just fine, but I was a nervous wreck.  I hear there are some mothers who don't feel judged when their children are being judged, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them.
Because the auditions were at the same time in different counties Abe took Elinor to her audition where she sparkled and shined and made it into the Concert Choir and was very happy.
I took Bethany to her audition in American Fork where I sufficiently freaked her out by wigging out myself.  She's done tons of recitals, but an audition is something very different.  At recitals we say, "Hey, nobody is judging you.  They just want to hear you play.  It's a chance to show-off what you've learned".
But at an audition, judging you is exactly what they are doing.  Looking for mistakes.  Looking for bad technique.

 Fortunately Bethany made it into the orchestra she was hoping for as well.  We were both so happy.

Enter the problem of driving everyone to where they need to be in addition to teaching piano lessons and homeschooling and every other crazy thing we do.  Hmm.  How am I going to do this?  There are always ways to work things out so I fell back on my mantra, "I'll make it work."  But how?

Two phone calls this week were serious answers to prayers.  First my neighbor and friend, Jenn, said she'd be happy to drive the six girls in the neighborhood to and from choir each Monday.  Can you hear the angels singing-- "Ahhhhhh!"
Then I called Sherry whose son Benjamin does Speech and Debate in Sandy on Wednesday morning with Bethany and he also does this orchestra in American Fork Wednesday afternoons.  I tried to set up a carpool trade (that totally would have been to my advantage) where I would drive to Sandy and she would do American Fork.  Miracles of miracles she tells me she would really like to drive to and from both so she will have time for walking and reading.  She said that after many many years of homeschooling many children she is looking forward to the time to exercise and meditate and read.
Can you hear the hallelujah chorus?

I guess I'm not the one who is going to make it work.  Thank you, thank you to my carpooling angels.