Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . making a good batch of rolls.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Perfume and Spaghetti Sauce
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . watching Elder Scott's recent fireside on marriage with my sweetheart.
. . . watching a space shuttle launch on YouTube with Joy. It was awesome. Joy liked the Saturn V model video better, though. Maybe it was because of the background music.
Not-so-favorite moments:
. . . when Joy asked me to click on the video of the Challenger explosion. Then kept asking to watch it again. I told her once was enough.
. . . glancing up from my grocery list just in time to see Daniel pull a glass jar of spaghetti sauce off the store's shelf. The cleanup crew was very gracious.
And another thing . . .
. . . I recently happened upon a random blog post about what it means to the author to be/feel feminine, especially now that she's a few years into motherhood. It made me consider where my sense of femininity comes from. Is it from my appearance, what I do and am, or some combination thereof?
I was reminded of Audrey Hepburn commenting on her role as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. In the opening scene of the film her character was dirty and unsophisticated, but Hepburn recalled, "I was wearing my perfume. Inside I still knew I was a lady." I don't wear perfume, but I do have a few little things that make a big difference in how I feel about myself. I keep my toenails painted, I always wear my silver hoop earrings when I'm awake, and I rarely leave the house without putting on lipstick (when I'm at home there's no point, because I just kiss it all onto Daniel's cheeks). It's a simple regimen, but I stick to it and feel like a frump when I don't. Ironically, my fashionista sister who owns every cosmetic on the planet feels little inclination to wear earrings or lipstick. I guess between the two of us we cover all the bases.
That said, is femininity really about appearance? How we look impacts how we feel and how we act, so I'm sure there is some visual aspect to femininity, but in a larger sense I think it is more about what we do and are. I believe the ultimate expressions of femininity are nurturing children, being a supportive wife, cultivating good character, and lifting others (and likewise the ultimate expressions of manhood are raising children, being a supportive husband, cultivating good character, and exercising the priesthood to serve others). It is those activities that realize each gender's similar yet unique mission in mortality. It's a lot easier to focus on applying lipstick than refining character, but down the road the latter will have a far greater impact on my happiness and destiny, and those of my loved ones, too.
. . . watching Elder Scott's recent fireside on marriage with my sweetheart.
. . . watching a space shuttle launch on YouTube with Joy. It was awesome. Joy liked the Saturn V model video better, though. Maybe it was because of the background music.
Not-so-favorite moments:
. . . when Joy asked me to click on the video of the Challenger explosion. Then kept asking to watch it again. I told her once was enough.
. . . glancing up from my grocery list just in time to see Daniel pull a glass jar of spaghetti sauce off the store's shelf. The cleanup crew was very gracious.
And another thing . . .
. . . I recently happened upon a random blog post about what it means to the author to be/feel feminine, especially now that she's a few years into motherhood. It made me consider where my sense of femininity comes from. Is it from my appearance, what I do and am, or some combination thereof?
I was reminded of Audrey Hepburn commenting on her role as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. In the opening scene of the film her character was dirty and unsophisticated, but Hepburn recalled, "I was wearing my perfume. Inside I still knew I was a lady." I don't wear perfume, but I do have a few little things that make a big difference in how I feel about myself. I keep my toenails painted, I always wear my silver hoop earrings when I'm awake, and I rarely leave the house without putting on lipstick (when I'm at home there's no point, because I just kiss it all onto Daniel's cheeks). It's a simple regimen, but I stick to it and feel like a frump when I don't. Ironically, my fashionista sister who owns every cosmetic on the planet feels little inclination to wear earrings or lipstick. I guess between the two of us we cover all the bases.
That said, is femininity really about appearance? How we look impacts how we feel and how we act, so I'm sure there is some visual aspect to femininity, but in a larger sense I think it is more about what we do and are. I believe the ultimate expressions of femininity are nurturing children, being a supportive wife, cultivating good character, and lifting others (and likewise the ultimate expressions of manhood are raising children, being a supportive husband, cultivating good character, and exercising the priesthood to serve others). It is those activities that realize each gender's similar yet unique mission in mortality. It's a lot easier to focus on applying lipstick than refining character, but down the road the latter will have a far greater impact on my happiness and destiny, and those of my loved ones, too.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Literature and Life
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . hearing Joy say "Whoosh!!" every time her Lego plane took off from the carpet runway. She was feeling inspired by a library boardbook about airplanes. She was also inspired by Calvin and Hobbes to say that something under her bed was drooling and she had to feed it some blocks.
. . . hearing Joy say "Whoosh!!" every time her Lego plane took off from the carpet runway. She was feeling inspired by a library boardbook about airplanes. She was also inspired by Calvin and Hobbes to say that something under her bed was drooling and she had to feed it some blocks.
Tea and Wolves
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . a great discussion at book group tonight. We enjoyed discussing the book, but I think my favorite part was the discussion of siblings afterward. It was interesting to reflect that my sister and I are so different, and she doesn't always make the choices I would, yet she has strengths that I admire and sometimes yearn for.
. . . reading Three Cups of Tea. I particularly enjoyed the chapter called Haji Ali's Lesson. It made me reflect that, like many Americans, I am in such a rush to complete tasks that I often forget to build relationships and enjoy the simple goodness of life.
And another thing . . .
. . . I hosted our co-op preschool class today. One of the boys morphed into a snarling wolf, whereupon one of the girls declared herself to be Belle and dubbed the other boy the Beast who should save her and the other princesses. However, the Beast decided he would rather color his picture and Joy opted to be a wolf instead of a princess, at which point Belle and Ariel took matters into their own hands and tackled the original wolf themselves. Girl Power.
. . . a great discussion at book group tonight. We enjoyed discussing the book, but I think my favorite part was the discussion of siblings afterward. It was interesting to reflect that my sister and I are so different, and she doesn't always make the choices I would, yet she has strengths that I admire and sometimes yearn for.
. . . reading Three Cups of Tea. I particularly enjoyed the chapter called Haji Ali's Lesson. It made me reflect that, like many Americans, I am in such a rush to complete tasks that I often forget to build relationships and enjoy the simple goodness of life.
And another thing . . .
. . . I hosted our co-op preschool class today. One of the boys morphed into a snarling wolf, whereupon one of the girls declared herself to be Belle and dubbed the other boy the Beast who should save her and the other princesses. However, the Beast decided he would rather color his picture and Joy opted to be a wolf instead of a princess, at which point Belle and Ariel took matters into their own hands and tackled the original wolf themselves. Girl Power.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Vote for Hobbes
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . voting.
. . . taking Joy along to the polling place, and watching her practice inking in a sample ballot. She voted for Thomas Jefferson for President. And Lincoln and Kennedy, too. We left proudly wearing our "I Voted" stickers. When Phillip arrived home wearing one, too, Joy was delighted.
And another thing . . .
. . . I tried to have a teaching moment with Joy, showing her pictures of the state gubernatorial candidates as I prepared to go vote this morning. She interrupted to ask me to help her find the page in her book where Hobbes does a big cannonball into the tub and splooshes Calvin onto the floor. Priorities.
. . . voting.
. . . taking Joy along to the polling place, and watching her practice inking in a sample ballot. She voted for Thomas Jefferson for President. And Lincoln and Kennedy, too. We left proudly wearing our "I Voted" stickers. When Phillip arrived home wearing one, too, Joy was delighted.
And another thing . . .
. . . I tried to have a teaching moment with Joy, showing her pictures of the state gubernatorial candidates as I prepared to go vote this morning. She interrupted to ask me to help her find the page in her book where Hobbes does a big cannonball into the tub and splooshes Calvin onto the floor. Priorities.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Hungry for Popcorn
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . hearing Joy say, "We're going to play a game you never played before. It's called . . . Run On Your Toes!!!!"
. . . eating popcorn this afternoon. Cuz popcorn makes everything better (kinda like chocolate). PowerPop, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . .
Not-so-favorite moment:
. . .this exchange:
Joy: I'm hungry.
Me: I'm stressed, dirty, and overwhelmed. What's your point?
Joy: I'm hungry.
. . . hearing Joy say, "We're going to play a game you never played before. It's called . . . Run On Your Toes!!!!"
. . . eating popcorn this afternoon. Cuz popcorn makes everything better (kinda like chocolate). PowerPop, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . .
Not-so-favorite moment:
. . .this exchange:
Joy: I'm hungry.
Me: I'm stressed, dirty, and overwhelmed. What's your point?
Joy: I'm hungry.
Chuckles and Sighs
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . Joy participating in the ward Primary program. She actually remembered her line (with a little prompting), but she didn't sing a word of the songs.
. . . a smile exchange while Joy was up in the front of the chapel. I noticed her looking at me, whereupon she smiled at me and I smiled back. Then she grinned, and I grinned, too. Then she made a super ugly frog face and I turned my attention back to the kid at the pulpit.
And another thing . . .
. . . voting is a vital right and a privilege, but I am eager for the election to be over. I'm sick of hearing harsh voices calling each other liars, and of wondering whether a proposition is truly worthwhile or whether the supporters just hired a really skilled publicist.
I think Americans agree on the fundamental things we want--good education, the means to support our family and afford a home, reasonably affordable healthcare--but the details of achieving those things are complicated, and it's hard to know which expert to listen to, and which politician is both willing and able to clear the road instead of blocking it.
Capitalism and democracy--they're messy, imperfect systems, but at this point they're the best we've got.
. . . Joy participating in the ward Primary program. She actually remembered her line (with a little prompting), but she didn't sing a word of the songs.
. . . a smile exchange while Joy was up in the front of the chapel. I noticed her looking at me, whereupon she smiled at me and I smiled back. Then she grinned, and I grinned, too. Then she made a super ugly frog face and I turned my attention back to the kid at the pulpit.
And another thing . . .
. . . voting is a vital right and a privilege, but I am eager for the election to be over. I'm sick of hearing harsh voices calling each other liars, and of wondering whether a proposition is truly worthwhile or whether the supporters just hired a really skilled publicist.
I think Americans agree on the fundamental things we want--good education, the means to support our family and afford a home, reasonably affordable healthcare--but the details of achieving those things are complicated, and it's hard to know which expert to listen to, and which politician is both willing and able to clear the road instead of blocking it.
Capitalism and democracy--they're messy, imperfect systems, but at this point they're the best we've got.
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