Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

Since school started, I've tried to find time to be with my kids on individual basis.   I've tried all sorts of things, and it has been hard to spend time with each of them on their own, especially since we are always together going to activities and appreciating experiences as a family.  So this month I tried to start my dates with my children again, but with a compromise: I pulled them out of school and at times Charlton was with us.  The children don't seem to mind this arrangement.

Last week, when I asked Gillian what she wanted to do with me this month, she expressed a desire to visit the pumpkin patch with Charlton.  And that's what we did.  She is such a fabulous sister and daughter.  I couldn't have asked for a better girl.

Gillian loved playing with Charlton at the pumpkin patch, and I loved taking pictures of the stunning colors that surrounded us.  I especially enjoyed talking to Gillian in the car, and afterward getting her advice on gifts for friends.  We bought some accessories for her Halloween costume, ate some delicious lunch, talked about all of King Henry the 8th's wives, about Queen Elisabeth and the Golden Age, discussed another interesting woman, Joan of Arc, and concluded with the idea that it's important to be a strong woman, but even more so to be a good one. We even got to hear "our song" - Pretty Woman.  I had a wonderful time being with my girl.  And Charlton of course.  He added spice to our afternoon.  Here are some fun things kids did during this excursion:

It's a wonderful life!

What busy two weeks these have been!  October brought us colors and sunshine at the same time, and we couldn't be kept indoors.  In fact, two weeks ago we all witnessed how summer relentlessly begged and begged autumn to give her one more week so we could all say goodbye properly, and autumn was gracious enough to allow it.  We took advantage of that fact and had the kids swim outdoors one last time.  What fun - swimming in October!

Swimming was something that we did a lot these past weeks.  Charlton started a few private lessons in an indoor swimming center.  His little friends, who took the same lessons, are fearless in the water and I thought maybe those lessons will help Charlton feel more comfortable in the water.  It's interesting to see the difference in how girls and boys approach life in general, and in this instance swimming.  His girl friends just jump in the water and don't think much about it.  Charlton will rationalize every move he makes, and most of the time he would say that he is too little to dive or swim on his own.  And when he says it, there isn't an ounce of mischief or fear in it; he really believes it.   It's so darn adorable!

Last week the children attended their last meet for the season in their cross-country running.  We didn't do so well this year in taking the kids regularly to the meets, but I tried very hard for balance between family time and activities, and I stuck to it even when it meant we had to skip a few extra-curricular activities.  Running is such a good sport that helps your body and mind, and at the same time it's easy to do anywhere and anytime throughout your life.  I'm glad the kids participated this year regardless of the crazy schedule it made for us at times.

 

 

 

Last week I attended a field trip with Jefferson and his class.  We went to the Chabot  Space and Science Center.  Jefferson's class is learning about space, and in specific about our own galaxy.  He is watching the phases of the moon each night, and learning what makes a star, where do meteors come from, etc.  It's so fun talking to my kids at this age.  Jefferson knows so much about how things work that I just love to hear him.  (Gillian mesmerizes me with her knowledge on various kings, queens, heroes, scientists, and world leaders; James touches my heart with his understanding of the gospel.)  Our dinner time is never boring!

 Parent volunteers

 

 Jefferson's favorite school friends

Jefferson's dream: to be a pilot

Learning about planets with a help of a planetarium show

Making their own show about planets.  Jefferson was Saturn.  He insisted in being one of the bigger planets, and he loved the fact that it had rings.

Gillian had a presentation at school last week writing an essay on three important things that make her who she is.  After writing it, she presented it to the class showing three items that represented those three characteristics.  Gillian chose to represent herself by these three things: her love for her family, her active life in sports, and her talent for music.  In the end, she shared her love for the Savior and how music connects her with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.  And then, she sang in front of her peers "A Window to His Love."  This last bit was very hard for Gillian to do; she doesn't like to show off and is careful in what she tells her school friends. 

When I asked her why she hesitated in sharing her testimony, she told me that those feelings are special to her and she didn't want anyone to ridicule them.  I knew that singing a religious song at school was a very hard thing to do since nowadays it's rare to find parents who teach faith and gospel principles to their children.  I was very proud of Gillian for being courageous in her testimony.

Another thing that took my time this past week was doctor appointments.  James's school needed a medical form to be filled by the doctor, and since I hadn't taken the kids to have their annual check-up this year yet, I thought why not let's do it all in the same week.  They are all healthy and growing well, with Gillian at 70lbs, Jefferson at 60lbs, James at 50lbs, and Charlton almost making 40lbs, although he has a three year difference with James, and not two as the others have with each other.  Actually, Charlton's numbers were very funny; the nurse had to check twice: he weighed 38 1/2 lbs and was 38 1/2 inches tall.  The doctor said he is doing great in all aspects;  he particularly liked Charlton's innocent arguments that carried a lot of logic. 
I couldn't stop laughing seeing him respond so seriously to all the funny things the doctor tried to pass by him.  I might have spent three days at the doctor's office, but I had fun. 

The doctor had to take care of a few little warts on Gillian's knee with liquid nitrogen, and oh boy, didn't that open Pandora's box with Jefferson.  He wanted to know all about it, what was it made of, and how do we transport it, and how come with call the air we breath oxygen and not nitrogen since it has more of that, and many more questions.  When Gillian felt the coldness of it, the doctor explained to her how this works as frostbites in getting rid of those unnecessary skin tissues.  Well, Gillian then told him about stories she had read about many explorations to Antarctica and the Arctic and how many early explorers lost limbs to frost bites. 

James wanted to know all about the ear pictures on the wall (they were gross and showed infections), and interesting enough he had great questions and the doctor loved answering him.  When the doctor asked Charlton what he wanted to become when he grew up, Charlton responded without hesitation that he was going to be a doctor.  When the doctor put the stethoscope around his neck and told him to go ahead and become one, Charlton was very serious and said, "I'm too little for that now."  So there, folks, is the saga of my children's visit to the doctor.  There is never a humdrum moment in my life.

 The children had spirit week at school this week, and I don't usually follow or care much about it, but my kids wanted me to take a picture of them on crazy hat day.  I love this picture because the choice of hats isn't what I would have thought each of my kids would have picked.  It goes to show I've yet to learn a lot more about my kids.

We closed the week by showing autumn that we love her more than summer, at least at this time.  The kids went outside and raked leaves and then jumped on them over and over again.  And we don't even have that many in our back yard.  Gorgeous weather, pretty colors, fun kids!  What more does one need from life!

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try” – Dr. Seuss

As I was filing away my kids' work of the past two weeks, I was amazed at their creativity and talents.  I was also taken aback by an overwhelming feeling as the thought came to my mind that whatever I was teaching these children of mine was working in ways that I had never imagined.  Thinking of them individually, and reading and looking at their work also reminded me of a question I was asked a couple years ago by some friends.  We were discussing the importance of guiding our children toward a profession according to their talents and helping them develop those talents.  The idea was brought up that if you want them to be a good ballerina, or a baseball player, or an engineer, you have to start them young in teaching and developing that particular talent.  I agreed with them to some extent.  I couldn't agree with the idea that that was all we needed to pursue.  I felt life was too big to limit it to one interest.  I felt that reading (all different genres), writing, studying art, visiting countries of the world, learning the history of humankind, making music part of our life--and many more pursuits that constitute the study of humanity--were prerequisite to a fulfilled life.  Then I was asked the question of how did I think this study of humanities would help a ballerina win a competition, or an engineer, a doctor, or an accountant become the first in their class and find the best job.


This is a good question when one thinks in very practical terms.  Three of my children want to be doctors and one an engineer/pilot.  How am I helping them achieve their goals?  Well, my answer today is the same as it was two years ago.  It's paramount that we guide our children to think of their talents and interests, and then help them achieve related goals.  But I also think it's as important for them to develop a desire for learning all things and enjoying the world around us.  There are many benefits to this approach, but the two most comprehensive ones are (the first is the ideal answer and the second responds to the practical side of the matter) :

1. A well-rounded individual develops a love for the world and the things that surround us, a desire to serve and make it better, a humility toward others with profound skills and a confidence that we can do and be anything; and an appreciation and gratitude for the beautiful things of this life.  This makes an individual a better person.  Society is in much greater need of better people, than it is of better accountants.

2. I truly believe that someone who has made the study of the arts and humanities part of their lives will be blessed with creativity, imagination, understanding, and a desire to succeed in whatever area of life they decide to start a career.  A compassionate person will always be the better doctor; the engineer with the heart of an artist will always imagine the impossible; an accountant with a knowledge of the world and an understanding of different cultures will always have more foresight, and will definitely be more interesting.

In short, the study of the world around us in all its various aspects brings creativity and imagination to all we do, and as George Bernard Shaw once said, “you see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’"  That's how I want my kids to think about life: Why not?

As I watch my children grow, and as I see their creative juices touch every aspect of our life, I'm convinced that this is the way to help them succeed in life.  As I look at their work, I feel that it isn't any particular thing I've taught them but the sum of them all.

Gillian's art style is not what I expected from a daughter of mine.  I tend to enjoy realism and impressionism, but she seems to be guided by a very surrealist theme.  Whether this is because of what she reads, studies, sees in museums, or simply due to our household's liberating motto of "Why not," I don't know.  One thing is for sure: her art is stunning and original.

Her writing totally captures me.  I love her poetic style, her flowing language, her wide vocabulary, and her fun approach to expressing her feelings, especially her sincerity.

Gillian is also very kind and thoughtful.  Elijah and I receive notes from her almost daily.  Some are silly and funny, some are loving and chivalrous, and some are thoughtful.

She wrote the following one morning around 3 a.m. after having helped Charlton to the bathroom.  She thought of thanking her dad for listening to her that day, so she wrote him a note.  At 3 in the morning!




Jefferson also has a love for learning and a desire to develop as many talents as possible. He loves art and he combines his talent for drawing with his knowledge and interests about airplanes, and anything with an engine.

Jefferson also enjoys playing music.  This past week, after his piano teacher gave him a Christmas music book to pick a Christmas piece for the end of the year recital, he played one song after another till he played them all. After a week of doing that, he had memorized most of them.  I'm having Christmas carols sung and played in my house even before Halloween.  That must be some kind of record.

James is still growing and finding his thing.  He is working hard in developing his motor skills better, but his imagination is taking off.  I love it that he draws characters and makes up stories about things he has just read about.

Babar the Elephant

 

No, David

Robinson Crusoe in his island

My favorite thing about James is his creative hide-outs.  He will make forts to read inside, go sit up in a tree, or lay blankets to listen to books-on-tape while drawing.  He doesn't mind being around people, but there are times when he just wants to be on his own and do his own things.

I can't wait to see when Charlton's creativity will come out.  And these kids haven't even started yet!  What joy~