Angela – Page 251 – Letters from Home

If you’re going to be quoted…

Newspaper Richard

We’re not sure why Richard was quoted in this newspaper article, and why the author of the article omitted the line about the members of our church fasting (in addition to praying) for the Hess family. Richard had been in contact with this reporter about some other church business in the news and he had submitted photographs to be used by the paper. However, this is all the evidence of his work with this reporter. But I guess when all is said and done, if you’re going to be quoted in the paper, you’d better be saying something worthwhile, and I think he did just fine.

Looking for a worthwhile cause? Visit Team Ryan Hess or this blog post to find out how to help.

Appointment

by Paige

Dear Paige,

We must not let ourselves get too busy today. I missed painting with you yesterday. I’m getting out the paints today at 2:00. It’s better to paint than to be busy.

Love,

Mom

P.S. You did a good job on these ballet shoes!

ABBA Gold

1977 carrot

I listened to our new ABBA Greatest Hits CD all morning as I cleaned the house. When I was little, aside from having natural highlights in my hair (see above picture), I loved to dance to our ABBA 8-track in our front room on the gold shag carpet. I’d land on the floor and look up at the light fixture which had a golden circular screw which would reflect a tiny image of me. My memories of the seventies have a golden hue. It probably has something to do with the carpet, but I think it also has something to do with the happy childhood I had.

Ice Cream Tutorial

Nothing says good old American holiday weekend like homemade ice cream. Here’s a way to do it the old fashioned way. We did this for my science class on Friday. I’m posting pictures of our kids (the little cuties) making it 3 1/2 years ago in our rental house.

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You will need

1 cup milk,
1 cup whipping cream,
1/2 tsp vanilla,
1/2 c sugar,

2 cups of rock salt,
1/2-3/4 bag of ice,
one #10 can with a lid,
one 30 oz. can with a lid (look in the coffee aisle).

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Mix the first four ingredients and pour into the small can.

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If you’re being scientific, you can measure the temperature of your mixture.

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Tape the small lid on the small can to prevent leaks. Place 1/2 cup of rock salt on the bottom of the BIG can and put a layer of ice down. Place the small can into the big can and pack more ice around it and on top of it, layering 1/2 c more rock salt with the ice. Place the lid on the big can, tape all around (to prevent leaks) and….

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Start rolling the can across the floor… and keep rolling…

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for 12 minutes.

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After 12 minutes, unpack the small can and stir the ice cream and take a temperature reading (if you’re being scientific). Work quickly.

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Tape the small lid back into place. You’ll notice that the ice in the big can has melted a lot. This is because the heat from the cream has passed from the small can to the super-cooled ice. (Rock salt lowers the freezing point of ice, making the ice colder than “freezing,” and this draws more heat from the cream mixture. It’s the heat from the cream that melts the ice as the liquid cream turns to ice cream.) You’ll need to discard the old ice and salt and repack the big can with 1/2 c rock salt on the bottom and more fresh ice and 1/2 c rock salt around the small can. Tape the big lid in place and get rolling again…

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Roll for 7 more minutes. Gloves are a good idea.

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By this time, anticipation will be high and many hands will want to help…

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You’ll have a nice creamy treat waiting for you in that little can.

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Science before dessert…

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All that hard work is worth it. Happy Labor Day!

Dusting off the old Degree

science club september 007

It’s been 13 1/2 years since I student taught at Mountainview High School. I taught biology. And while I student taught, I grew out of all of my clothes and anxiously awaited graduation so I could start getting the house ready for our baby. I waddled just a little as I went through Commencement and all. I snacked on a Snickers bar as I sat in a sea of graduates at the Marriott Center. You know, you’ve got to eat when you’re expecting a baby.

That day, thoughts about the future as a mom overshadowed my dreams to be a science teacher, as they should. But at certain moments in my life since then, I have seen that a TEACHER I must be. Thankfully, I have been blessed with many opportunities to teach… 3 years of seminary, many years in Primary, 8 more years homeschooling…

But today, 13 1/2 years later, I taught a real science class for our homeschool club and it felt really good.

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I also roped Richard into teaching robotics. What a man!

August Sahuarita Saga

I got up early this morning to finish the August Saga. It’s a great way to make sure we Finish Our Essays. Having a deadline is great, and so is the knowledge that someone besides Mom is going to look at your writing. The art this month is amazing.

[book id='6' /]

Lighting a Fire

Education is not the filling of the bucket but the lighting of a fire! -Yeats

This letter from a missionary in Brazil arrived for Daniel today. How exciting for Daniel. He is so thankful! Thanks to a kind bishop who has put in requests to some missionaries to help with Daniel’s coin collection while sharing a little of their missionary zeal.

Smile at a Mormon Missionary today and let them share their message with you! They are good and they love the gospel. Thanks, Elder Farnsworth.

Elder Farnsworth letter

Observatory

telescope diagram

I like finding clues around the house showing me what my kids are thinking about. I found this diagram today of one of the telescopes Daniel saw at the Whipple Observatory on Friday. I thought the reflection patterns were pretty good, and it turns out, they are pretty accurate.

Did you know we don’t have street lights here so there is better star gazing for the observatories? Well, now you know. It’s a great place to stargaze. Now Daniel and Paige can say they have been to an observatory, thanks to a good friend who took them. They were up so high on the mountain that they saw Mexico. The whole building which houses the telescopes can rotate. Just thought you’d like to know…

Timothy's bird house

This is a drawing Timothy has made of the birdhouse he wants to get for our backyard. He has a birdcage that he’s filled with birdseed, hoping to catch a new pet. In fact, the whole yard is littered with birdseed to attract future pets. He told me tonight that the bird could live in the birdhouse and then visit the birdcage now and then… it looks like he plans to leave the door open.

So, to wrap this all up in a neat metaphor, I’ll say that I’m grateful live in my own personal observatory and to be an observer of children. I try sift through all the information and words and behaviors and see what my children are trying to communicate. With the help of the Lord, proper focus and care and timing, simple observations of behavior or words can give me greater insight into the needs, hopes, and wishes of my children. A simple piece of paper, a forlorn sigh, a persistent wish or behavior… each a precious clue.