Max was carrying on about something - can't remember what - and Alec said 'Max don't you know it's not over till the fat lady sings.'
Max opened his mouth - said 'well' - stopped -looked panicked - recovered - finished by saying 'Louisa, you haven't sung yet' - and looked relieved that he had dodged that bullet.
Clearly he was about to say Mum or Jesse but realised in the nick of time that only trouble could come from that and saved the day.
I'd be offended if his face wasn't so funny.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Giver
Jesse, Roger and I have recently read The Giver by Lois Lowry. We'll be buying and reading the rest of the trilogy. In the meantime we are urging Peet to hurry up and read it so we can pass it on to the rest of the family. It's an insightful and thought provoking - and short - book. We spend our days now thinking about choices and freedoms and safety and balance. And colour. We look at green grass (which is everywhere here at the moment) or make a mistake or listen to someone really feeling sad or happy and breathe a sigh of relief and gratitude that God has made each of us sovereign over our thoughts and choices.
What Max really really wants
Max just asked 'do you know what I really really want to find? A friend.'
A tender little heart resides in that sassy boy.
Since Anastassia left Max has struggled to find his place. He is well established as the fight fixer. When he was sick the girls in his group told Mathilda that they needed Max to solve their fights. But Max is short of a bosom buddy.
Oscar (who is five) told his Mum that Max is his best friend. And the girls in the middle group love Max to death and want to play with him all the time.
But there is still no one to be a special friend. Mathilda talked to me this very afternoon about the problem. She is enduringly insightful and endlessly caring. Maris suggested Melou and Mya as possible friends - we'll invite them to play next term.
Max may be short of a soul mate - but he is not short of people who love him - at home or at school.
A tender little heart resides in that sassy boy.
Since Anastassia left Max has struggled to find his place. He is well established as the fight fixer. When he was sick the girls in his group told Mathilda that they needed Max to solve their fights. But Max is short of a bosom buddy.
Oscar (who is five) told his Mum that Max is his best friend. And the girls in the middle group love Max to death and want to play with him all the time.
But there is still no one to be a special friend. Mathilda talked to me this very afternoon about the problem. She is enduringly insightful and endlessly caring. Maris suggested Melou and Mya as possible friends - we'll invite them to play next term.
Max may be short of a soul mate - but he is not short of people who love him - at home or at school.
Greenan's porridge
I'm not good at breakfast - I am aware that it is the most important meal of the day - it's also the earliest.
But at the Amos house warming a few weeks ago Andrew Greenan told us that he makes porridge with rolled oats, milk and a little sugar. We gave it a go and we're hooked.
It's rich to be sure - but with a bit of cream, pure maple syrup and fruit it's also heavenly.
Now we have 'Greenan's porridge' for breakfast and I feel a little better.
And now that I have recorded for posterity the reason we call it 'Greenan's porridge' credit can forever be given where it is due.
But at the Amos house warming a few weeks ago Andrew Greenan told us that he makes porridge with rolled oats, milk and a little sugar. We gave it a go and we're hooked.
It's rich to be sure - but with a bit of cream, pure maple syrup and fruit it's also heavenly.
Now we have 'Greenan's porridge' for breakfast and I feel a little better.
And now that I have recorded for posterity the reason we call it 'Greenan's porridge' credit can forever be given where it is due.
Three tricks & a riddle
Poor Peet - 13 years old is a pill.
A couple of nights ago we had a discussion about responding calmly to minor offences. (The definition of a minor offence is still at issue.)
I explained that I only have three tricks for changing teenage behaviour.
I'm giving it my best shot.
We have been talking about peace and the results of peace. We have been noticing the tender hearts of brothers and sisters (and mothers). We have been reading The Giver and talking about how important it is to have choices and learn from them. We have been reading 2 Nephi and talking about the result of unkindness. We have been practicing calm and promoting calm by slow evenings filled with reading and music and bonding games - like Pictionary (we don't set the bar too high around here.) We've reread the Word of Wisdom and talked about the importance of enough sleep.
And slowly I think we are getting there. Tonight Peet is reading to Max in bed and I don't think he's had even one unhappy moment.
Now here's a riddle from Peet:
An Arab sheik tells his two sons to race their camels to a far off city, telling them that whoever's camel is slowest will inherit the sheiks fortune.
After wandering aimlessly for four days the sons meet a wise man who tells them one thing that makes them jump on the camels and race to the far off city.
What did the wise man say?
The answer is in the comments.
(In Peet's defence people laugh at me when I tell them Peet is hard work - it's just that he does so much else right that any wrong stands out like a sore thumb and screams to be worked on.)
A couple of nights ago we had a discussion about responding calmly to minor offences. (The definition of a minor offence is still at issue.)
I explained that I only have three tricks for changing teenage behaviour.
- Talking and reasoning.
- Renewing perspective by teaching about world events, history and the plan of salvation.
- Removing distractions - eg computer time. (On the basis that young brains sometimes can't stop processing things like computer games long enough to process kindly responses.)
Having tried all but the last I suggested we try that one.
Peet assured me that the others would probably work if I'd just try a little harder.I'm giving it my best shot.
We have been talking about peace and the results of peace. We have been noticing the tender hearts of brothers and sisters (and mothers). We have been reading The Giver and talking about how important it is to have choices and learn from them. We have been reading 2 Nephi and talking about the result of unkindness. We have been practicing calm and promoting calm by slow evenings filled with reading and music and bonding games - like Pictionary (we don't set the bar too high around here.) We've reread the Word of Wisdom and talked about the importance of enough sleep.
And slowly I think we are getting there. Tonight Peet is reading to Max in bed and I don't think he's had even one unhappy moment.
Now here's a riddle from Peet:
An Arab sheik tells his two sons to race their camels to a far off city, telling them that whoever's camel is slowest will inherit the sheiks fortune.
After wandering aimlessly for four days the sons meet a wise man who tells them one thing that makes them jump on the camels and race to the far off city.
What did the wise man say?
The answer is in the comments.
(In Peet's defence people laugh at me when I tell them Peet is hard work - it's just that he does so much else right that any wrong stands out like a sore thumb and screams to be worked on.)
Bits and Pieces
Louisa tells me that she hates being told a secret because 'then I have a dwelling in my mind and I just want to get rid of it.'
Max has started piano lessons. We love it.
We have a recorder craze going on.
Ammon is here at last.
Thomas is working at Toowoomba with Lee - funny that for two years we missed him but the family didn't seem too small. Now we're ok with him being away but the family seems small again. Must be because we think he should be here.
Peet has been home teaching for the first time with Malcolm Rea.
Max has started piano lessons. We love it.
We have a recorder craze going on.
Ammon is here at last.
Thomas is working at Toowoomba with Lee - funny that for two years we missed him but the family didn't seem too small. Now we're ok with him being away but the family seems small again. Must be because we think he should be here.
Peet has been home teaching for the first time with Malcolm Rea.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
For two years we've been saying 'when Tom comes back he'll love ...'. Now he's busy reading:
watching:
and listening to:
And many more.
I have no idea how he'll squeeze in a job and uni!
(He's also doing heaps around the house, helping on the Fulchers house a bit, enrolling in uni, looking for work, preparing a couple of talks and soon he'll be helping out at Pine - so he's not really a drone.)
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