Foxtoberfest

Faith has arrived.  When each of my children become proficient enough readers that they can silently read chapter books I buy them each a series of books just for them.  Faith got her set this week.  We choose the Ivy and Bean books.  The girls all think they are funny, and while I'm sure the characters are a little sassier than I would like, it brings me such joy to see my little Faith completely engrossed in a book for the first time.  Reading hasn't come very easily for her, so this is a beautiful picture to me.

Cannon is kindergarten age this year so he is not doing a tech class through My Tech High like the other kids, but that hasn't kept him from using Faith's WeDo from last year.  He built this soccer goal and goalie this week.  In the background you can see a catapult that Faith built with her simple machines engineering kit.  It's okay, but nothing compares to the glory of Legos!  I love Legos so much that I don't even curse when I accidentally step on one with bare feet on a wood floor.  That is love.

I got to go do a very interesting thing this evening.  Something I've never gotten to do in all my years of parenting.
I went to a parent teacher conference.  No, I've never gotten to go sit down with a school teacher and have them dole out the praise of how wonderful my child is.  Well, I assume they would have praised them.  I suppose it is possible they might have felt otherwise.  But no matter. This evening, it was all praise.
Clark takes release-time seminary over at the Jr. High.  When he mentioned it was parent-teacher conferences this evening, I said, "I'm there!"
I went and met the very nice Brother Applington.  He asked if I had any questions.  I said, "No, I just wanted to be here; I've never gotten to go to a parent-teacher conference!"
I can see why I might start to be, if I'm not already, an embarrassment to Clark.

In other Clark news, he was so happy last week to get a paying gig with his reptiles.  He was the  entertainment at a little boy's birthday party.  Clark has a mini-me in our neighborhood who is super into reptiles, bugs, animals and such.  Clark packed up his menagerie and he and his assistant, Bethany, had a grand time showing off and teaching about his critters.  Next up- business cards and a bit of advertising and the "Reptile Whisperer" will be in business.

Let me think if there is anything else of interest going on.
No, I don't think so.  Here are a few other thoughts and happenings I'd like recorded, although I'm certain they do not qualify as interesting.

--Life has settled down into a pleasant fall rhythm.  We're working hard with our school work.  It seems that after several years of encouraging my people to be responsible in getting their school work done, it may be working!  We're on a pretty good run.  Of course now that I have publicly acknowledged it, our schedule will implode tomorrow.

-- I spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday.  My topic was "Use boldness, but not overbearance," as taught by Alma to his son Shiblon in the Book of Mormon.  It was kind of a fun, interesting topic. 

--I've given out recital pieces to all of my piano students for our Christmas recital.  Hard to believe the holidays are soon to be upon us again.  I like being in "recital mode" with my students.  Everyone seems to be a bit more diligent with their practicing and that makes teaching more enjoyable.

--Clark, Bethany, and Elinor are all doing swim team right now and I am really enjoying the simplicity of dropping everyone off and picking them up at the same time.  So much for individuality!  Oh, well.  They each get to pick their own events they swim at swim meets-- that's something, right?  Clark is doing double workouts these days because he's still swimming his regular four hours a week, but in preparation for the high school swim season, he is doing dryland workouts at the high school 2 or 3 days a week as well.  He is T-I-R-E-D.  But the way I see it, an exhausted teenage boy is a happy teenage boy.  Or at least a teenage boy who is too tired to complain.

--I know some of you were greivously disappointed with the end of the 3rd season of Downton Abby.  I was sad too, but it's time to move on.
Move on to SEASON 4, that is!!!!! Go to simplyjune.com .  You can thank me later, or better yet, just bring me a bag of Dove dark chocolate.

--I just finished reading Unbroken.  It is a WWII POW survival story, and it was really great.  I highly recommend it.  Similar to a book I read a few years back entitled Flyboys.  That was really good too, but I think Unbroken was a little less graphic, which I appreciated.

--It's almost Conference weekend.  I love General Conference weekend.  It's the most wonderful time of the year.  This calls for some more pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!