And finally ...

We finally received word last night that Julia was accepted to BYU-Provo!

She has been accepted to all of the schools she has applied to (and is having other universities seeking her out ... or maybe they are more likely seeking the out of state tuition).

Hopefully her stress level will lessen ... in another 10 days.  The opening night for the musical is next Wednesday!

Now I call this busy ...

Julia is busy.  Super busy.  8 days until opening night.  (I hope you are planning on attending - it is going to be a great show!)

Now I'm busy.  Helping.

I just finished sewing Julia's costumes.  6 poodle skirts - out of cotton ... not the felt ... it flows better for a "Sandy" roll (white, light blue, light yellow, light pink and 2 green ones for the cheerleader outfits).  2 "R" letters for the shirts of the cheerleaders.  1 prom dress.  1 white long pajama dress.  (I still need to sew on buttons).

Now to assemble biographies for the cast, pit and tech crew.  They aren't being printed in the program this year.  Instead, we are posting them in the lobby.   I am going to do something creative with them this year.  Not as creative as I would like to be (budget), but still fun!

And then ... I get to take pictures of the dress rehearsals.

Stay healthy Julia!!!

Jaley's Debate Speech

Here is Jaley's debate speech I mentioned yesterday.  She worked so hard on it ... and wrote it by herself - with no help from us!

Her teacher commented on how great her opening was. 

Topic:  Raise the legal driving age to 18.  (Tough topic when you are debating against kids who are nearing the age of getting their permit).  Jaley's group had to support raising the age to 18.

On an early Saturday morning on the day of November 1st, 2006, one of my Mom's best friends from High School's teenage son was killed in a tragic car accident. Kyle A....s was riding with his best friend, who had recently received his license. The crash appeared to have shown that the car had flipped over a few times and ran into a utility pole. Both were found dead inside (“Kyle P. A. Obituary”). Driving has been around for many decades, and we need to do everything we can to protect new teen drivers. To save more lives, the driving age should be raised to 18. At younger teen ages, the brain has not developed to a mature enough stage in their life. It would not only help the well-being of today’s teens, but the society as a whole for the future.


Changing the driving age to 18 would help society as a whole. Cars create pollution, which then changes the climate, and if the amount of cars on the road were reduced, then the environment would become less polluted. Teen car use regards more than 2% of overall cars on the road. If these cars weren’t there, then it would take away from traffic and overcrowding, a major liability in our society today (“Driving age, Raise to 18” Endersby). While it would help our society, it would also help teens all over the nation.

The welfare of this generation of teens needs to be as risk-free and healthy as they can be. Driving creates unhealthy habits. Not having access to a car promotes the uses of biking, walking, and other forms of exercise. If that is not ever available, carpooling is always an option. The safety of our teens is accountable for their futures. “The longer you make kids wait, and the more time you devote to their instruction, the safer they are going to be.” Says Lon Anderson (“Teen Driving”). This is true, because the more time to wait, the more time they will have to learn. This will also allow teens to concentrate more on their academics to receive respectable grades. They will become more mature, responsible teens to prepare for the future

At the age of 16, the brain is still developing. Many do not put this into consideration when they start to drive. 16 year olds have higher crash rates than any other driver (“Teen Driving Statistics”). This is because the frontal lobes in the brain have not developed. This is the area of the brain that allows a person to think rationally and problem solve (“The Teenage Brain”). 18 is considered to be adulthood, and driving should be another privilege to adulthood; such as voting, drinking and more (“Pros and Cons” Croley). A car is a treacherous weapon in the wrong hands.

Some may say that kids are at the age when they are in need of a driver’s license to go to work, school, or other activities. This may be true, but teens can easily find a carpool, ride their bikes, and sometimes get a ride from their parents. Because of the economy, employers do not always want to hire teens under the age of 18 (M, Julia. Personal interview). Therefore, it is possible to get around without a license.

In a highly acclaimed movie, Spider man said, “With great power comes great responsibility” (Spiderman 2002). Do the responsible thing and join the efforts to raise the legal driving age of America to protect the youth while they are young today as the future leaders of America. The age to get a license should be raised to the responsible age of 18. Don’t end up like Kyle, leaving your family and friends behind without any notice and no goodbyes. Protect the well being of our teens, allow more time for their minds to develop, and help the society become a safer, cleaner place.

Debate

For those who know Jaley, you will believe me when I say she dreaded the upcoming debate at school.  Dreaded is an understatement.  We had countless tears regarding this subject.  She has known about the debate since early December.

For Christmas all she wanted was to be taken out of school (because she didn't want to do the debate).

For her birthday, all she wanted was to be taken out of school.   Yes, because of the debate.

Tears.  Frustration.  So much research.  More tears.  I hate school.  More tears.

Mom instincts kick in and I wanted to protect her.  I wanted her to not feel the stress.  I didn't want her to worry about talking in front of her peers.  I was tempted to let the teacher know what kind of stress this was causing her. 

I decided not to.  I decided to cheer her on.  She didn't see it as cheering.  She saw it as more torture.

She researched.  She stressed.  She wrote out her note cards.  She wrote her speech.  She practiced.  She timed herself.  We found more information for her to add to her note cards.  She refined her speech and added a story to tear at their hearts.  She practiced even more.  Daily.  She asked us to come up with questions that she would need to answer. 

She was prepared.  She was prepared for this debate by mid January.  I figured the end was near.  The stress level was very high for her.  I wanted it to end.  Then I found out that her debate wasn't until Feb 14.

She still practiced.  She still stressed.  She still hated school.

The debate came.

She nailed it.  Her teacher told her how impressed she was.  Jaley was prepared.  She was the only one in her group to get a perfect score.

I don't see anymore tears.  I don't hear her utter "I hate school."  ... now it is "I don't want to go to school" - middle-school age kids.  Need I say more?  I didn't like middle school either.  I wish I sailed through middle school with the confidence and finesse that Julia and Jenna had. 

I'm proud of you Jaley.  It is through experiences like this that we grow.  Painful, yes.  Empowering, definitely.

Chores

Chore. 

Ignore. 

Kendall would say "They are the same!" - that is how he says that the words rhyme. 

Unfortunately I think Kendall might be right - they mean the same thing in our house at the moment.

Jenna and Jaley were asked to clean their shared master bedroom closet (we need to finish the basement!).  I have been shutting the closet door and ignoring it.

I went to check on their progress.  Jenna is taking a shower.

Jaley is ...

Auditions

Julia has hit busy season.  Work.  3 AP classes.  4 music classes (Women's choir/aide, Jazz choir, Women's select, and newly added - band - flute).  Musical rehearsals every day after school (She is Sandy in Grease).  All State Choir is this Sunday evening through Tuesday night.

Tomorrow she is auditioning for the music school at CU-Boulder.  Next weekend she is auditioning for the music school at UNC (not your UNC, Christina ... sorry - would have been neat; I hear they have a great music program).  We are holding off with the out-of-state auditions for now.  She wants to study choral directing/teaching - not music performance (which I think she would be amazing).

Good luck Jules!

HOA - gotta love them, right?

We have an HOA where we live.  Lots of rules and covenants.

I discovered a warning ticket on my van yesterday (Feb 3) when I was brushing the snow off trying to take Kendall to preschool.  It was dated Jan 31.  I parked the van up in the cul-de-sac on Jan 30 when it was 64 degrees with the negative temperatures and snow due the next day.  I can't park in the cul-de-sac anymore.  So I am really stuck now.

John will have to help me move my van up (with chains) on the days Kendall has preschool.

Oh well.

Finally ...

After 3 days of running for 24 hours, our heater finally turned off (or did it give out?) ...  The heater has had a hard time keeping up heating the house with the frigid Chicago-like temperatures we have been experiencing.  I woke up this morning and the thermostat read 62 degrees in the house.

Yesterday school was cancelled because it was -38 degrees outside.  School was cancelled again today because it was -2 for a high.  The kids are ready to go back.  They are bored.

Kerst's Primary Talk

Kerst had a talk this past Sunday in Primary too.

This year our Primary is assigning stories from the scriptures to share as their talk. Kerst and Kendall were asked to share the story about Lehi finding the Liahonah outside of his tent. The talks I have heard recently are of the kids reading the story from the back of the picture or from the scripture story picture book. I wanted the boys to share highlights and then to "liken the scripture" to themselves. We shared and discussed the story over breakfast and wrote their talks.

Here is Kerst's talk (and he did a wonderful job too!).

(Both boys shared the framed picture that hangs in Kendall's room of the Book of Mormon Story of Lehi finding the Liahona outside of his tent.)

This picture hangs in Kendall’s bedroom. I love this story in the Book of Mormon. Early in the book of first Nephi, Lehi was instructed by God through a vision to take his family into the wilderness and head to the Promised Land. While traveling in the wilderness, Lehi found a curious ball outside of his tent. This ball is called the Liahonah. The Liahonah gave instructions, directions, commandments and comfort. The writings on the ball would change as the needs of Lehi’s family changed. The Liahonah told Nephi where to go and hunt for food for his family. The Liahonah directed Lehi’s family across the ocean as they traveled to the Americas. While on the ship, Nephi’s brothers became angry and tied Nephi up. The Liahonah stopped working. A terrible storm came, they were lost. The Liahonah would only work when Lehi and his family were righteous. After Lamen and Lemuel repented, the Liahonah worked again and they arrived in the Americas – the Promised Land.

We have our own personal Liahonah. This Liahonah can be with us everyday. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost after our baptism. The Holy Ghost is like the Liahonah. Just as the Liahonah directed, taught and comforted Lehi’s family, the Holy Ghost does the same for us today. As we keep the commandments and choose the right, the Holy Ghost will remain with us. I am thankful that I know I can ask for comfort when I am scared or sad, ask for help when I am lost, ask for help when I have done my best to prepare. Even if I feel alone, I know I have the Holy Ghost to comfort, guide and teach me. I need to remain worthy to have this gift in my life.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Cold Day

School has been cancelled.  A "Cold Day".  Not a "Snow Day" ... although there is snow on the ground - maybe an inch.

It is -15 out, but feels like - 38 with the windchill.  I am grateful I don't have to stand at the bus stop with Kerst and wait for the late bus.  Yesterday it was in the teens while we waited at the bus stop.  The bus was 15 minutes late.  I wouldn't want to wait outside for a late bus today.

This reminds me of Chicago weather.  We would still have school.  The kids wouldn't go out for recess once the temperature was 0.

It is interesting how different parts of the country deal with cold and snow.