Who's Counting?

I am! Joseph has one more week in Relief Society before he's legally old enough for Nursery. I have been taking him in there to play for the last 7 weeks or so - just for the Sunday School hour. But I sit in there with him since he's not quite 18 months. I have just about had my fill of getting my hands full of toys that 30 other little kids have been chewing and sucking on. Joseph likes to load me up then walk away.

Sometimes I get to stay in Relief Society if Joseph can find enough to entertain himself. Last week it was a little toy horse that one of the great-grandmas handed to him. He went from woman to woman (and then back again) bouncing that horse on their knees. It was very cute and got us chuckling, but not very kind to the teacher.

Today, I wasn't sure we were going to get to stay as Joseph was pretty cranky. While he wandering around the room getting smiles from the grandmas, one of them pulled out a small ball of blue yarn. Genius! What a great toy!

Joseph found all sorts of things to do with that yarn and before long he looked like he'd escaped from a giant blue spider. He had several feet of yarn, looped several times, trailing behind him and was wrapped in 3 or 4 rounds of string - all the while trying to pick up the ball in front of him by pulling the string, therefore making a bigger tangle. It was very funny. I had tears in my eyes from trying not to laugh. Several of the women were bouncing softly in their seats in silent laughter.

Eventually, I had to untangle him. That meant I had to take the ball of yarn and he wasn't happy about that. While he was writhing in frustration on the floor, another g-ma (the RS Pres.) threw a package of fruit snacks at him. Instant change of attitude! We survived the rest of the hour slowly eating those.

It's a little sad to think we only have one more week of the fun. But also a BIG relief! It's getting harder for me to bend over.

A boring update

At least it seems boring to me. That's partly why I haven't posted anything for a while. I can't get excited enough by my life to consider it good reading for anyone else. But here I go anyway. I apologize in advance.


The kids finished swimming lessons on the 21st. Daniel passed Level Two and will be starting Level Three next Monday. Nathan did not pass his 2nd attempt at Level One. He just wouldn't float. I think he has trust issues. Leah did not pass her 1st attempt at Level One. I didn't expect her to. I was surprised she made it through the whole class since we almost dropped out after the 3rd day. Nathan and Leah can wait until next summer to try again. Rebekah faithfully accompanied me to the bleachers to watch every day.





On the last day of lessons, they all got to jump (or be dropped) off the diving board and go down the water slide. Leah only felt it necessary to go down the slide once. I'm glad I got a picture! (Though now I see that this Daniel, not Leah.)





I have been crocheting a blessing afghan for the baby. I got halfway through it and then started over because the matching (no dye lot) yarn I got for the second skein didn't match in color (white) or texture. So I have a lot of practice on that.

I did finally get back to my quilting frame. I quilted for about an hour and a half the other night. I stood back and couldn't see much progress. Very discouraging.

I finally made it back into my sewing room and finished the next quilt block for the year. This is June's. Here it is. Kind of weird colors. Definitely unique.

I have mostly made it through my morning sickness. (As evidenced by my recent return to quilting and sewing.) I have even started making menus and cooking again! It's a miracle! I still get really tired at inconvenient times. What is convenient? Bedtime would be good. That's usually when I can't sleep.

I got a new calling at church, too. I was a grouchy beast all through my morning sickness and just as I start feeling better and nicer, they release me! Now I teach the 4th Sunday lessons in Relief Society. These are the Teachings For Our Times lessons which come from the most recent General Conference talks. This means that there are no suggested discussion questions.

My first Sunday in RS was the Sunday I got to teach for the first time. To make it even more exciting, I was finishing up a project that I'd already started with my Primary class...Sharing Time. So we presented our lesson in Primary, then I walked across the hall to the RS room for my next big performance. I was glad when that day was over. I sat in RS yesterday and it felt weird. I was only out for about 13-14 months. It must be really weird to return after years in Primary or Young Womens!

I'm probably missing something else really exciting that I've been up to, but I'm sure we'll all survive without knowing about it.