Albuquerque Turkeys

So since we've been without a working camera for awhile, I've actually been learning some good lessons about being a part of the moment, and better enjoying the memories with my kids instead of always trying to "capture" the moments. 

The other day my kids all went outside and played in the leaves.  Of course my first thought was, "Dang it, I don't even have a camera to take pictures with!"  But then I thought, "Go out and play with them.  The memory of playing together will be more meaningful than me always standing by and taking pictures."  So I got out the leaf-blower, and helped them make a giant pile to jump into off the trampoline.  And I'm glad I took time to do that.

When we finally get another camera, I'm going to try to be mindful about being a part of the memories, rather than on the sidelines behind the viewfinder.

I bought some chocolate chip cookies the other day at Smith's.  They were an impulse buy.  Sitting there in their little plastic cartons, fresh from the bakery and only $1.  I couldn't wait to get home and munch on some after lunch. As soon as we ate our lunch, I dug into those cookies.  I bit into one, and began savoring the goodness, when to my utter disappointment, I discovered there were no chocolate chips.  They were RAISINS!  Seriously, I think raisins in cookies are the worst idea.  They totally ruin a perfectly good cookie.  Now, admittedly, I sometimes enjoy a good Oatmeal Raisin cookie, but only if I know what I'm biting into beforehand.  And I would never buy them on purpose.  I think they should put a big neon sticker on cookies with raisins that says: "Beware of RAISINS!"

This is day six of vocal silence.  In the last several days, I have taken care of five kids silently, taught 4 silent piano lessons, and directed a silent choir rehearsal.  I use a trusty white board, mouthing words, and lots of hand signs (too bad I don't actually know sign language!)  When he's here, Arthur is my interpreter.  He added lots of good insight and praise of the choir during our last choir practice.  :)  He made me a sign to wear to Messiah rehearsal last night--too bad we didn't get  a picture of it-- I wore it around my neck and it said, "Sorry I can't talk--I am on vocal rest for 3 weeks."  Kind of ridiculous, but very effective.  I sat in the back and listened for balance and other areas that need improvement.

Thoughts/Lessons learned so far:

1. Kids respond a lot better to silence than to yelling.  Instead of yelling across the house for them to get dressed or practice the piano or make their lunch.  I go right up to them and mouth the words while acting out what they are supposed to do.  And . . . they do it.  awesome.  I think they like the little extra attention. Takes a little more energy, but it's working.

2. There has been less yelling/contention in our house by everyone since I have stopped talking.  interesting.

3.  Disciplining the younger ones is kind of hard.  I can't give verbal warnings, so when they do something wrong, I physically stop whatever it is they are doing, and if they repeat it, they go on time-out.  Hayden has learned that if he doesn't look at me, I can't tell him anything.  So sometimes I have to bonk his head to get his attention.

4.  I really miss laughing out loud.

5.  And I really missed singing yesterday--the hymns in church, the songs in choir practice and especially singing with the Messiah choir when we joined with the orchestra for the first time yesterday!  You know that saying, "You don't know what you had till it's gone."  Well, I appreciated what I had.  I love singing, especially in praise of my Redeemer.  And it tears me apart inside when I have to sit by and not join in.

6. Most of all, I miss talking with Arthur, singing to Sydney, and telling my kids I love them.  But I am trying to show it more physically with lots of hugs and kisses.  December 7th seems a long ways away.

7.  The ENT's around here are all booked until February.  I called several weeks ago and got an appointment for February 1st.  However, a friend of mine has a brother who's a doctor, who has an ENT friend in Los Alamos (about an hour & 1/2 away) who said he will get me in next week-when he gets back into town!  So we're calling to get an appointment with him,  and hopefully we can figure this out!

8. I am thankful for so many kind friends who've offered to help.  I appreciate all their well-wishes and prayers.  We're really doing pretty good--I can pretty much do everything I need to do--just a little quieter.  :)

The soonest appointment I could get with an otolaryngologist isn't until February, so I'm trying voice rest for three weeks and hoping they'll go away on their own!  Voice rest means, no talking, singing, whispering, laughing, crying, clearing my throat, coughing, etc.  I read on another site that you could talk up to 15 minutes a day and still be resting your voice, so I'm saving that time for emergencies;  Like today at the grocery store when I saw an old friend that I haven't seen in months and months and it's faster to say, "Hi, how are you," and, "Happy Thanksgiving" than try to write a big long message about nodules and voice rest.

For normal "conversation" I carry around a notebook or a dry erase board so I can write messages, but it gets a little tricky when all the readers are gone for the day.  Hayden keeps saying, "Mom!  I can't hear you!" I'm doing a lot of hand signs, and charades to get the little boys to understand "that it's time to get shoes on--we're getting in the car," or whatever else it may be.

We'll see how it goes.  Kind of inconvenient with family coming for the holidays, and preparing two choirs for performances in December.  But there won't ever be a convenient time to stop talking for three weeks, so I'm biting the bullet, and doing it before they get bigger and have to be removed surgically.

So don't be offended the next time you see me if I don't talk to you.  Believe me, I wish I could!  In the meantime, my blogging may pick up because I just always have so much to say!  Wish me luck and think of me whenever you say something.
anything.
at all.

"I don't wanna hear another poop outta you!"

"I think he means peep!"

Dear Daphne,

I am not very good at math.  When I was in school, I always had to have someone else help me. Even when I went to college, I had Uncle Floyd help me study to pass my math class.  I guess I don't have a good math brain either.  But I am good at sewing and working in the garden and cooking and playing the piano and reading.  You may have a hard time with math, but you sing like an angel.  You are kind and helpful to your mother and you draw beautiful pictures.  So it's okay to struggle with some things, because you are so good at many other things.  Some people who are great with math, can't sing like you or draw pictures like you.  Heavenly Father gave each of us many gifts because He knew what we were already good at in the pre-exsistance.  You must have been singing in the angel choir.  So just work hard at math and do the best you can, but remember you are very good at many other things.  I love you.   


Love, Nona

These are quotes mostly from October.  I collect them for awhile before I actually get around to posting them.  Hayden had so many, he gets his own post, coming soon.  In the meantime, here are things the kids said last month that I want to remember.

So, after General Conference, I started feeling like I needed to talk to Dallin about pornography.  I know that kids are being exposed to it younger and younger, so I figured, just in case someone at school or on the bus tried to show him inappropriate pictures, we should talk about it, so he'd know what to do.   We talked about how pictures of naked people is called pornography and the prophets and apostles have warned us not to ever look at them.  I told him that if anyone tried to show him pictures of naked people or women in bikinis, that he should immediately look away, and tell that person that the only woman he wanted to see naked is his wife.  To which he replied, disgusted, "I don't want to see my wife naked."  Even better. 


On a similar topic, one Saturday morning, I took the kids to the grocery store to pick out a donut as a reward for helping to clean our church building.  One of the magazine covers by the checkout stand featured the best and worst beach bodies of the season.  Dallin immediately looked away, per our discussion, but Daphne stood gawking and pointing at one of the "worst beach bodies."  Sean said nonchalantly, "Don't look at it, Daphne.  It's bisgusting."  

Ever since Sydney was born, Hayden has reverted to his pacifier addiction.  He steals her pacifiers any chance he gets.  I eventually caved and let him have the pacifiers that Sydney rejected.  Well, he lost them both, and was very sad about it one night.  So I told Hayden the story about the day I didn't get pacifiers anymore.  I was about three when Mom finally took my pacifier away.   She bribed me with a barbie doll.  I happily handed over my pacifier for the barbie.  But then, when it came time for bed, I told mom I was ready to trade her back the doll for the pacifier.  She told me she was so sorry, but the garbage man had come that day and taken my pacifier to the dump, so my pacifiers were all gone.  I remember that I had such a hard time falling asleep, she had to rub my eyes until I drifted off.   So I offered to rub Hayden's eyes until he fell asleep.  While I was rubbing Hayden's eyes, I heard Sean sniffling in his bed.  I asked him what was wrong, and he tearfully said, 

One morning while enjoying some bacon, Daphne declared, 

"I like pigs because they are cute AND yummy!"