My Kind of Learning

Michelle and I were recently talking about the time she came to my house for Creative Friday and taught me how to make her grandmother's wonderful cream pies. I came across the photos recently and told her it was a long time ago because Eva was so little then, but both of us were shocked when I investigated further and found out that that lesson took place in November 2007!


I guess if I had really thought about it I would have realized that it had to have been several years ago because I've made those cream pies for the past three Thanksgivings (and will be doing so again this year).


The pies are now part of my repertoire and I'm very grateful I know how to make them. Of course it makes it just that much more special that Michelle taught me how and that she passed on some of her family's legacy of baking, which I can now pass onto mine (cue tears).

I love learning things from friends, and often think we all have such a wide variety of talents to share that we really should do something about that. Over these past few months Michelle has taught Amie, Crystal and I how to make her fabulous Artisan Bread, and then Amie taught us how to coupon (though I'm still such a beginner). But there are all kinds of things I'd like to learn how to do or to get better at doing (i.e., cooking, algebra, taxes, hair styling, fashion, exercise, speed reading and retention, photography, scripture study, life planning, etc.).

**What skills have you learned from friends?
Have you taught any of your skills?
What would you like to learn?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm feeling torn between the things I want to do, need to do, should do and so on. I hate feeling like my hours at home are limited by work and sleep. Aargh!

Bittersweet, But I Prefer Milk Chocolate

Here is the bitter...

Maybe I’m not cut out to be the “real coach” of Whitney’s soccer team. Maybe the girls see me too much as a playful, screaming mother figure and not as an authority. I don’t know. What I do know is that the yelling has gone from therapeutic to exasperated. I did more head shaking and threw my arms up in disbelief more than I did anything else at our last game. We won our first game 7-2 and have lost the other 3. It’s hard not to take these losses as a personal failure.


Apparently the concept of working together, actually passing the ball to someone on our own team, and taking power shots on the goal rather than passing it right to the goalie are tough concepts. Most of these girls have been playing for several years now, so it shouldn't be so hard, and yet it is.


This picture captures me "discussing" something with Whitney after the game. She has a gift for knowing what the other girls "should have done" yet doesn't see those things in herself.


She took a ball to the face at the end of the game and ended up with a bloody nose. I told her that "soccer happens" and that we just keep playing (which she did actually) but when the game was over she wanted some sort of restitution.


For the most part I love soccer season and I enjoy seeing the progress they make when they finally understand a concept or gain a new skill, but the process can be super frustrating for sure.

And now for some sweet...


I get to sit on the sidelines and watch Landon's games while visiting with my parents or the other players' parents. I enjoy sitting under our beach umbrella, in my lawn chair with a cup of pebble ice.


Andrew came to Landon's last game and didn't enjoy all the yelling we were doing from the sidelines.


Ashley had spent the day with my mom, so she was there too and spent some time on Randy's lap.

Landini scored a goal!

These two together are always sweet.

A post-game photo.

I love this one.

Knuckles.

**What is bittersweet in your life right now?**

Comment Window Tidbit:We are out of Carnation Instant Breakfast ($#@!) and I'm feeling quite lost. I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, but that left me feeling ravenous by 9:30 so now I'm eating lunch at 10:30. This can't be good.

Sunday Thoughts

I'm posting late again this Sunday, this time because I had to do Sharing Time and came home completely exhausted and went straight to bed. Our junior primary is huge and very active, so they had me literally sweating today. It seems cruel that I had to run things while wearing a skirt and heels, because workout clothes would have been more appropriate today.

It was High Council Sunday today and as soon as Randy saw that in the program he pointed it out to me and we shared an "oh no" moment. We always think we don't enjoy those speakers, but I think if I went back through my Sunday notebooks I'd find that we've heard a ton of good talks from them.


The topic today was the importance of Literacy and Education, and both talks were so good I felt totally fired up and ready to make some changes in how we spend our time at home (the kids don't know this yet).

Here are some of my notes:
--We need to learn the language of the Spirit and the language of prayer.
--We have so many resources at our fingertips, the possibilities are endless.
--We are supposed to learn so that we may be prepared in all things.
--The Lord will bless us as we pray for help. If we do our spiritual studying first, He will help us do our other studying (schoolwork and such).
--The best benefits often come after our biggest struggles.
--We are blessed to have a prophet and apostles on the Earth; they are a great source of learning.
--We take our intelligence with us in the next life.
--Our life is a schooling process.
--Attending the temple is a blessing and a resource we should take advantage of.
--Continuing education should be a goal for each of us.
--Teach one another words of wisdom.
--Establish a house of learning, of order and of God.
--We can be the master of our own destiny!
--You are never too old to learn.
--The Lord doesn't lie. When he gives a promise, He always keeps his end of it.
--Make going on a mission part of your plan.
--Your mission will be the greatest learning experience of your life.

These talks left me feeling super motivated to read even more than I already do, and to work harder to instill a love of learning in the kids. I think we need more balance in our home so that we're spending equal time with physical, mental, spiritual and fun things. I'll let you know what we come up with and how it goes.

**Do you love to learn?
What would you like to learn?
How do you encourage learning at home?**