"I Think it's About Forgiveness"

Caleb was asked to give a talk on forgiveness today in Primary. This was his talk:

"Sometimes my brothers are mean to me. Jesus taught that we need to forgive everyone, so I need to forgive my brothers when they are mean to me. Sometimes I am mean to my brothers, but they need to forgive me, too. Amen."

He may have smiled a little wider than was absolutely necessary when he talked about being mean to his brothers, but overall he did a very nice job.

Musical Monday

More on the Tony Awards. Here are some of my favorite openings from past years. I offer them in contrast to the 10 minute long, bad sound system, ridiculously expensive mess that happened this year.

This one from the 55th Tony Awards. I'm a little sad they didn't show them all having to stop and swipe their metro cards, though. Still, there was the requisite singing and dancing, sparkly costumes, whimsy (the very idea of tapping down to the awards is delightful...and everyone finding a seat on the subway, which, let's face it, is pure fantasy), and best of all it was under five minutes. Incidentally, this show was the year that "The Producers" swept the awards. The performance they offered that night was the little old ladies tapping with their walkers. The crowd loved it!




I also really like this one for it's simplicity and IT'S AMAZING ALL STAR LINE-UP OF PRESENTERS!!! Seriously, it's like all my favorites got together in a row. And under three minutes.



Anybody else have any favorite Tony Award numbers?

Teenage boys

When boys in our church turn 19, they serve a two year mission away from home. Several years ago I chuckled when I saw the saying "We should send missionaries out when they are 16. They still know everything and their mothers wouldn't cry when they left."

I have found myself totally understanding that sentiment lately as I get to routinely deal with the drama of a 16 year old son.

But then there are these bright and shining moments where I don't want to kill him because he says things that are sweet and insightful. Like today when he said, "If I'd known what I was going to get at the end, I would have gone through six more foster homes to get here."

Early Summer

I love summer. In our first week we have:

-spent every day at the outdoor pool

-Benjamin decided to join the swim team which practices every day there and discovered that he is built for such a sport

-The boys all got their first prize from the library summer reading program and just picked up the summer reading program for Half Price Books, also.

-I slept in and missed two early morning workouts, which is particularly problematic since I'm feeling miraculously not so terribly sick. The whole being able to eat again and not working out thing is not going to fly.

-have had fabulous day long play dates with good friends twice this week

-Caleb and Nathaniel both agreed to and received summer haircuts!!

-picked lettuce, black raspberries, and stawberries from the garden

-and I've nearly finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It makes me happy inside.

Inappropriate Crushes

I am adding Neil Patrick Harris to my list of crushes. Because he's adorable and funny and talented and gay. Which seems to be a requirement for my crushes these days.

AND because he did this. I missed it because I went to bed before the closing credits because I had spinning at 6 AM the next day. Todd showed it to me today.

Love him. Todd, I mean. But Neil Patrick Harris, too.

Cub Scouts at the Rifle Range

Benjamin learns how to shoot.Nathaniel seems to already know.
Our friend Adam. (Hi, there Grandma Peggy! Do you have any concerns?)
And Caleb. He was afraid to shoot until almost the end of the turn at the range. It wasn't until I whipped out the camera that he decided it would be okay. Apparently, he like the idea of a picture of him shootting better than the idea of actually shooting. He did eventually do it. But after about ten shots, he was done.
Caleb and Adam "sneaking" up a hill. Caleb ran up. Adam kept looking back at me to see if I was going to yell at them for going off the trail. (I didn't. It was a short cut to the road.)

No Words

Caleb's Birthday Party

Caleb wanted a cake that showed the battle on Mustafar for his birthday. He's never seen that movie, btw, but still knew that there is a big planet on a planet with lava and that Annekin catches on fire and turns into Darth Vadar.

So this is what I whipped together the day of the party. I totally stole the idea from some creative Dad who was nice enough to post all of his cake making tips online.

I will say that after going through no little trouble in making the scene, I was a little annoyed when Caleb wanted to put characters in it who weren't even there. I even went so far as to show him the scene on youtube, but he would not be convinced and insisted on sticking all sorts of characters who didn't belong on Mustafar.

My favorite is the storm trooper head down in lava. That's my creepy kid.

And another one practicing the back stroke in the lava.

Cute boys!

MMMM. Creepy lava cake!!

Tony, Tony, Tony!!!

Alright, folks. Let's talk Tonys.

Hated the opening number!! (Except all the Billy Elliot's dancing, and the guy from Rock of Ages getting hit on the head with the scenery, and the very end when everyone sang along with "Let the Sun Shine In" from Hair, and that Dolly Parton came and sang for her show.) I especially hated the whole West Side Story singing along with Guys and Dolls. It just didn't sound good. And there were definite sound system issues all night long. You can hear audible coughing through the opening number. That should never happen on mic.

Loved Stockard Channing's costume!

Loved Neil Patrick Harris as host!!

Loved that Angela Lansbury won!!!

Enjoyed that the Sharks speak Spanish in the West Side Story revival.

Did not enjoy the weird ending to "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" from Guys and Dolls.

LOVED Carrie Fisher announcing the number for Next to Normal!!! She is so so so funny and a great face for mental health issues.

Liza Minelli is a tranny mess and is just embarrassing to watch.

Loved Geoffrey Rush's acceptance speech.

And now here is the 10 minute long monstrosity that was the opening from last night. It was just too much.

Caleb's Birthday!

Only a month late. The night of Caleb's birthday, we had our friends and neighbors the S & Ms over. (That's what we call you, Heather and Christian. Just so you know. In fact, that's even how I write your name on the calendar for get togethers.)

There are few things more fabulous than food and cake and presents and playing with friends. Caleb received for his birthday the tremendously fabulous Star Wars sheets from PBK. (I'm seriously so bitter they don't make them in king size.) And other misc. Star Wars toys and games.

The standard birthday boy dinner in our house is pizza, but Caleb, never afraid to set a course different from his brothers, informed me that he wanted grilled cheese sandwiches, potato chips, baby carrots and cake for his birthday dinner.

He sure is one cute little stinker and frankly, I can't believe he made it to five.

Note: the Marvin the Martian PJs. These may be the most beloved pjs ever and Caleb wears them for as many hours in a row as possible even though they are too small for him. The hippy-commie preschool was fine with him wearing pjs to school whenever he wanted. We've already started discussing how pjs are not allowed in Kindergarten except on special days. He nods assent now, but we'll see what comes in August.

I will miss seeing a pajama clad Caleb at all hours of the day.

Stuff

So, like most people who were ridiculous enough to assume that they could script their lives, Todd and I got rid of most of our baby stuff ages ago. The only thing I still have is a high chair and a changing table that we've been using as shelves for spare bedding.

I am looking for advice. Specifically about car seats, strollers, and pac n' plays. What's good out there? What's terrible?

I blissfully lost track of all of this sort of knowledge years ago.

Goodbye, ignorance.

Musical Monday

"What's the Matter with Kids Today?" from the show "Bye Bye, Birdie"

Delightfully mashed up to be performed by the cast from Harry Potter.