It has been another crazy week here. I still feel like I'm behind on just about everything, but I am slowly catching up. It's all about taking things one day at a time.
1. My oldest daughter turned 18 on Thursday. The years have flown by so fast, I can hardly believe it. She is beautiful, talented, and kind. I am so proud of her and can hardly imagine how strange it will be in our home when she goes to university next year.
2. I spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at girl's camp. Yes, it was snowy and cold, but we didn't feel any need to prove how tough we were. We stayed at a cabin so we were out of the bitter weather. There were only two very small bedrooms, so most of us slept on the floors around the wood burning stoves. There were several tables set up with different crafts, cross country skis to use, a pond to skate on, sleds to ride and a ping pong table. We let the girls pick the activities they wanted to do and didn't really schedule anything. It was about relaxing and spending time together. I have to admit that I was glad to return home to my own bed, though.
3. The last three days, my husband took some scouts up to Camp Impeesa for the Senator Buchanan Winter Camp. Temperatures that dipped into the -40 C range kept them from doing many outdoor activities, but they had fun anyway and everyone returned safe and sound. I'm sure they are all glad to return to their own beds, too.
4. Did I mention that I am more than ready for spring to arrive? Temperatures are still dipping to -20 C quite regularly. Seriously, I'd be happy with a balmy 0 C.
5. I finally started my daughter's grad dress. The pattern making part of the job is driving me crazy. I just wish the pattern companies would produce designs with shoulders and sleeves so that I wouldn't need to draft the missing pieces in every time I sew a dress. Once I get the pattern just right, the rest should go together smoothly. I'll post pictures of the finished product in a month or two.
6. I finally finished Double Deceit and submitted it. Now the fun of waiting begins.
7. The Whitney Awards are quickly approaching and I'm working on reading all the finalists so I can vote. So far I've read 16 1/2. I should be able to catch up now that I'm finished my own revisions. Just looking at Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings is intimidating. That is a lot of pages to read, especially considering how many other books are on the list. I'm determined to finish it though.
So that is my week in a nutshell. How was yours?
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Monday, 28 January 2008
Friday, 23 November 2007
Red Chief's Ransom and Nothing to Say
Tonight I sat down with my husband and watched "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry. The story is about two thieves who kidnap a young boy hoping to get a ransom out of his father. Of course, their plans don't quite work out, and the job ends up being much harder than they bargained for. I remember reading this short in a junior high English class and loving the twist at the end.
We also attended our ward party this evening where we ate too much food and enjoyed visiting with our ward family. My family also had to perform Silent Night program (which I don't mind except it meant I couldn't sneak out early to catch up on my word count for NaNo because we were almost the last number).
Speaking of NaNo, I am up to 31,739 today. So my word count for today ended up being 2618. I am much further behind than I should be, but the story is really starting to flow and I am getting more words faster. I don't know if I will make the 50,000 words this year and I'm beginning to think the whole short story thing is much easier.
So this is ending up being a post about almost nothing, because I still don't feel that great, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. But I'm still keeping up with NaBloPoMO. And go read O. Henry's short story when you have a minute - it always gives me a good laugh.
We also attended our ward party this evening where we ate too much food and enjoyed visiting with our ward family. My family also had to perform Silent Night program (which I don't mind except it meant I couldn't sneak out early to catch up on my word count for NaNo because we were almost the last number).
Speaking of NaNo, I am up to 31,739 today. So my word count for today ended up being 2618. I am much further behind than I should be, but the story is really starting to flow and I am getting more words faster. I don't know if I will make the 50,000 words this year and I'm beginning to think the whole short story thing is much easier.
So this is ending up being a post about almost nothing, because I still don't feel that great, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. But I'm still keeping up with NaBloPoMO. And go read O. Henry's short story when you have a minute - it always gives me a good laugh.
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Thank You
I didn't get much writing done today. There was too much going on and I had a hard time focusing. Tonight we held a teacher appreciation night for all our primary teachers. I had food to prepare during the afternoon and I went to help set up for the evening after school.
It was great to be able to gather all the people that work so hard in our primary and let them know how much we value their dedication. We had good food and good conversation. We even played a version of the Liar game although we determined after the game ended, that we would probably remember the lies about each person rather than the truth. As the evening ended, all those teachers that we value pitched in and helped with the clean-up. All-in-all, it was a great evening.
The next appreciation night I hold should be for my family. Every day they do the things required of them with little complaint. I receive lots of loves and hugs from my kids and husband, which makes my day. Every time I sit down at the computer, they leave me alone so I can work and they are so proud of me even though I haven't made it quite yet. But I don't always show them exactly how much I appreciate them. I need to remember to tell them more often.
There is another place where I feel a great deal of gratitude for all the help and support - that is here online. I so appreciate the online community I am part of. Many times I have emailed certain authors for advice and received gracious and helpful replies. There are so many bloggers that I have learned from and look forward to the things they have to say. I'm grateful for every comment left on this blog. There are lots of people I feel like I know just a little bit and hope I can meet some of them at the next LDStorymakers conference.
This thing called the internet can be addicting and time-consuming, but it has also been so valuable in connecting me with a writing community I was totally unaware of last year. So to all those who have made a difference to my writing life, I can't make you a meal but please accept my heartfelt thanks.
It was great to be able to gather all the people that work so hard in our primary and let them know how much we value their dedication. We had good food and good conversation. We even played a version of the Liar game although we determined after the game ended, that we would probably remember the lies about each person rather than the truth. As the evening ended, all those teachers that we value pitched in and helped with the clean-up. All-in-all, it was a great evening.
The next appreciation night I hold should be for my family. Every day they do the things required of them with little complaint. I receive lots of loves and hugs from my kids and husband, which makes my day. Every time I sit down at the computer, they leave me alone so I can work and they are so proud of me even though I haven't made it quite yet. But I don't always show them exactly how much I appreciate them. I need to remember to tell them more often.
There is another place where I feel a great deal of gratitude for all the help and support - that is here online. I so appreciate the online community I am part of. Many times I have emailed certain authors for advice and received gracious and helpful replies. There are so many bloggers that I have learned from and look forward to the things they have to say. I'm grateful for every comment left on this blog. There are lots of people I feel like I know just a little bit and hope I can meet some of them at the next LDStorymakers conference.
This thing called the internet can be addicting and time-consuming, but it has also been so valuable in connecting me with a writing community I was totally unaware of last year. So to all those who have made a difference to my writing life, I can't make you a meal but please accept my heartfelt thanks.
Sunday, 16 September 2007
Helping the Little Guy
Today I was responsible for sharing time. Our junior and senior primary was combined, so I had about 35 children ranging from three years old to eleven years old. The topic had to do with serving others and I had to come up with a way to present the lesson so that it would appeal to every age group and allow all of them to understand what I was trying to teach.
I got a stack of pictures from the library that showed different acts of service-from writing letters to a missionary, to Christmas caroling. We read John 13:34-35 and discussed a little about why and how we serve. Then I divided the children into different sized groups, gave them a picture, and told them not to show anyone else. They were to act out the service depicted in the picture for the rest of the primary. The other children would try to guess what the service was.
It went really well, but that is not why I am telling you this. What I loved to watch was the interaction between the kids. When I divided the groups up, I paired eleven year olds with three year olds. I didn't allow the children to stay in their class groups. It was wonderful to watch an older girl help one of the youngest girls in the primary act out reading the scriptures to each other, or seeing the cooperation between four children of different ages as they acted out a family gardening together. I don't think the older children realized that they were serving the younger children as they helped them and taught them. (And I wasn't quick enough on my feet to point that out to them.) And it is so fun to see how the little ones really look up to their more experienced counterparts.
This made me think of my experience as I have become more involved with the writing community in the last year. I am just a little person on the totem pole with big ambitions. I look up to all the authors who are one their way to making it, or who have already made it. It constantly amazes me how friendly everyone is and how willing people are to help out those of us at the bottom.
I met some wonderful people at the LDStorymaker's conference who I still keep in touch with, and I have "met" some more online, who give me encouragement everyday. So when I feel like the little three year old in primary, who is a little nervous to be a part of the group, I look up to the older more experienced people around me and know that when I do make it they will be cheering me on, and somewhere there will be another little person looking for the helping hand that I will have to offer. The circle continues and I love it.
I got a stack of pictures from the library that showed different acts of service-from writing letters to a missionary, to Christmas caroling. We read John 13:34-35 and discussed a little about why and how we serve. Then I divided the children into different sized groups, gave them a picture, and told them not to show anyone else. They were to act out the service depicted in the picture for the rest of the primary. The other children would try to guess what the service was.
It went really well, but that is not why I am telling you this. What I loved to watch was the interaction between the kids. When I divided the groups up, I paired eleven year olds with three year olds. I didn't allow the children to stay in their class groups. It was wonderful to watch an older girl help one of the youngest girls in the primary act out reading the scriptures to each other, or seeing the cooperation between four children of different ages as they acted out a family gardening together. I don't think the older children realized that they were serving the younger children as they helped them and taught them. (And I wasn't quick enough on my feet to point that out to them.) And it is so fun to see how the little ones really look up to their more experienced counterparts.
This made me think of my experience as I have become more involved with the writing community in the last year. I am just a little person on the totem pole with big ambitions. I look up to all the authors who are one their way to making it, or who have already made it. It constantly amazes me how friendly everyone is and how willing people are to help out those of us at the bottom.
I met some wonderful people at the LDStorymaker's conference who I still keep in touch with, and I have "met" some more online, who give me encouragement everyday. So when I feel like the little three year old in primary, who is a little nervous to be a part of the group, I look up to the older more experienced people around me and know that when I do make it they will be cheering me on, and somewhere there will be another little person looking for the helping hand that I will have to offer. The circle continues and I love it.
Sunday, 9 September 2007
Starting Seminary
No, not me. I am much too old for that. But my daughter enters grade nine this year and also begins the wonderful world of seminary. Tonight we went to a fireside together to start off the seminary year. The seminary teacher gave a sample lesson to show us how seminary classes run these days. Things have changed since I attended so many years ago.
No more silly filmstrips or funny videos. (We watched one of those funny videos in sharing time a few weeks ago, and the kids thought it was hilarious). The lesson he taught tonight really delved into the gospel and made all of us think. He taught Moses 1. He reminded us that we are children of God. We were cared for and loved by God, and even now he knows each of us individually. He is aware of our concerns and trials. He knows what we need. Even more importantly, he knows who we are and what we can become. We have the seeds of divinity within us. How comforting to know that I have a Father in Heaven who wants me to be happy. When I think of how I feel about my own children-how much I worry about them and want more than anything to see them happy-I begin to get a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father feels about us.
I came away from the meeting with a daughter who is more excited than ever to learn the gospel. She is willing to get up for early morning classes and get there on her own, even when the temperature drops to -30 C. I caught the vision as well. It almost makes me wish I was fourteen again.
No more silly filmstrips or funny videos. (We watched one of those funny videos in sharing time a few weeks ago, and the kids thought it was hilarious). The lesson he taught tonight really delved into the gospel and made all of us think. He taught Moses 1. He reminded us that we are children of God. We were cared for and loved by God, and even now he knows each of us individually. He is aware of our concerns and trials. He knows what we need. Even more importantly, he knows who we are and what we can become. We have the seeds of divinity within us. How comforting to know that I have a Father in Heaven who wants me to be happy. When I think of how I feel about my own children-how much I worry about them and want more than anything to see them happy-I begin to get a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father feels about us.
I came away from the meeting with a daughter who is more excited than ever to learn the gospel. She is willing to get up for early morning classes and get there on her own, even when the temperature drops to -30 C. I caught the vision as well. It almost makes me wish I was fourteen again.
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Other Writing
Once again I have procrastinated something I have known about for over 10 months. I was assigned the task of writing the sacrament meeting presentation for our ward. Now I could have started in January, but I didn't. I wanted a chance to get into the theme for the year. Time rolled on, and here we are in September. I'm into the theme, but so far nothing is on paper. Our presentation is at the end of October, but I need to get the parts out to the children soon.
I have also committed to participate in Tristi Pinkston's BIAM challenge. She has challenged us to start on Sept. 10 and finish on Oct.9. I was planning on starting a new project this month, so this is just a little extra motivation. That starts on Monday, so I have three days to get the program down solid. I love how the outline is already there and wish my story outlines would come to me that clearly. But it will come, it always does. I just hope the BIAM story comes just as easily.
I have also committed to participate in Tristi Pinkston's BIAM challenge. She has challenged us to start on Sept. 10 and finish on Oct.9. I was planning on starting a new project this month, so this is just a little extra motivation. That starts on Monday, so I have three days to get the program down solid. I love how the outline is already there and wish my story outlines would come to me that clearly. But it will come, it always does. I just hope the BIAM story comes just as easily.
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