Author: Angela

I write so my family will always have letters from home.

Diatoms

img_20170110_145039_459The library is my friend when I need to simplify concepts in science for Mark. I am teaching him from a high school textbook because it gives us a structure and helps him learn to analyze graphs and data. Many weeks we just use the book as a guide and seek material at the library to make it more interesting.

I love to pick up books of colorful microscope images. Our world is intricate and beautiful at every level. Mark and I spent a few extra days studying microorganisms through art. This is a collage of diatoms, which are single-celled and diverse, representing 10,000 species. They are producers, which mean they photosynthesize and are an important food source in aquatic environments. We couldn’t get over how colorful, intricate, and symmetrical their silica shells look under a microscope.

To do this project, we pulled out papers we had painted before, cut them into shapes, added more color with pencils, and made an Eric Carle style collage. Eric Carle art is something I have done for years with the kids because it is fool-proof. Every collage is a success.

2016 Book Reviews

Here are my mini-reviews of the books that I read in 2016.

  1. The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey (I prefer the original Jane Eyre to this retelling, set in the 1950’s and 60’s.)
  2. The Book of Mormon (It’s a winner 😉 )
  3. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini (Meh.)
  4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Couldn’t put it down)
  5. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (Well written!)
  6. Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Eric D. Huntsman, and Thomas A. Wayment (This was a 5 1/2 month study. I am so slow at this, but this was a good resource book for the New Testament.)
  7. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough (Loved it.)
  8. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (Recommended for adult readers. Lots of strong language and an explicit attempted rape. This book explored the life of an elderly immigrant, sharing her story with a troubled teen.)
  9. Somewhere Safe with Someone Good by Jan Karon (I have always loved Father Tim but I miss the old characters who have died.)
  10. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (Worth the length.)
  11. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (I mostly liked this.)
  12. Dressing Your Truth by Carol Tuttle (The author is a salesperson trying to get you to buy her program. Her approach to fashion is an interesting combination of psychology, energy levels, and physical features. I am very much a Type 4.)
  13. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (Very typical Thomas Hardy: a flawed heroine and a simple, honorable man; strong imagery, tragedy, but a happy ending. I liked it.)
  14. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (Everyone should read this. Everyone.)
  15. The Power of Everyday Missionaries by Clayton M. Christensen (Very good.)
  16. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (Worldly, not recommended)
  17. Seven Women and the Secret to their Greatness by Eric Metaxas (a second reading; for inspiration)
  18. An Invisible Thread: The True story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny by Laura Shroff and Alex Tresniowski (Warm and fuzzy but also some tough realities.)
  19. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson (So British, with some true satire. I loved the main character.)
  20. The Book of Mormon (Just keep reading, just keep reading…)
  21. As Iron Sharpens Iron: Listening to the Various Voices of Scripture edited by Julie M. Smith (I took my time on this one. I truly enjoyed the mental and spiritual exercise. My two favorite dialogues were between Nephi and Joseph, and Luke and Mark.)

Life’s work

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We went sledding today for P.E.

Each morning I get up to say goodbye to two of my boys as they go to school. I don’t love that part of my day. I clean the kitchen and wake up Mark, and home school begins.

I have no amazing educational activities to post, but I teach him every day. He reads a lot; I read to him. There are library trips where we fill the book bag until it is so heavy that I can hardly carry it. We talk as he does math problems and I let him doodle on his assignments. I ask him to write essays and book reports, label maps, and write history summaries. There are drawings, diagrams, and charts for science. Some grammar exercises are really difficult for me, and I don’t have a teacher’s edition. In fact, I erase Paige’s old 5th grade workbook so Mark can reuse it, one or two pages each day. There are spelling words to learn and cursive handwriting to practice. Sometimes he has a terrible attitude about writing. Some days it takes hours to do what should take 20 minutes. Sometimes I fall asleep when I am reading aloud to him or I get a phone call from someone who is upset and I ignore him for 20 minutes. We take a break from each other at lunch time.

We have this whole school life that no one really acknowledges. Even I don’t talk or write about it most of the time. But it’s my life’s work, however unseen and unrecognized. We simply sit in the basement, surrounded by books and colored pencils, studying and writing.

Today I remind myself that the small, consistent efforts in life are the the most real, because they make us who we are.

2016 Quilt

I kept a big secret this year, a quilt I have been working on since January. I took part in a “Block of the Month” opportunity in my neighborhood quilt group. Each month, we learned techniques to make a new square. I decided to sew two of each and make a quilt for Paige. I learned a lot, and it was a big challenge. Every month when I would complete my squares, I wished I could share them with you. I would hide the fabrics and all evidence of my project whenever Paige would visit. I finished the quilt in time to give it to her for Christmas. Here is how it turned out:

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It is a twin size quilt, cheery and bright. I chose each fabric with Paige’s tastes in mind, although my penchant for red might have won out just a little. There are several 1930’s fabric reproductions mixed with some more modern prints. My friend Kaye did the machine quilting. Sarah took a picture of me at the family cabin when I was binding it. My sister Susan joined me in my final efforts.

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I have learned that no one has time to quilt. If it makes you happy, you must make time to do it. I have learned a lot from the neighborhood quilting ladies, not just about sewing, but about life, generosity, and work. It was a good year.

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Time to read again

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I have been cleaning up the Christmas mess and neglected corners. This is a collection of the books I found today, in various stages of reading, throughout the house. It’s been a full few months.

One thing I love about the week after Christmas is that I can start catching up on regular life. The books, the routines, and the basic meals are a comfort. I take time to assess what happened during the year. With the sorting of gifts and cards, clothing and books, I see where we have been and where I want to go. I certainly want to finish most of these books this week. Wish me luck!

Christmas Eve 2016

Samuel the Lamanite
Angry Nephites
Here we are throwing objects at Samuel and climbing the wall to get Samuel, who does not get injured at this time. You seemed a bit worried.
No arrows or stones could harm the prophet Samuel.
The angel visits the shepherds
Cast photo
This little nephew showed the best concert etiquette as I played.

My mom’s dolls
My sister-in-law Care made the clothes. Every detail is amazing on them.
Sweethearts

Christmas doll

This is the first doll that someone has requested from me. The woman who asked me to make it received one of my dolls almost two years ago. She called me one week before Christmas to make this for a mother who has lost two children to suicide. I can’t think of a better reason to skip baking and outdoor decorating, two things that were irritating me because they weren’t finished. Obviously these thoughts were just begging for a dose of perspective.

The music still came together for Sunday’s piano-violin duet; I still had time to see Daniel’s performances at Temple Square. Time seemed to expand for this little miracle doll to be created in less than a week, for someone I will probably never meet. This opportunity has made my Christmas feel extra special this year.