Sleep On It

I have lots of notes of things I need to catch up on, but had to get this while it was fresh.

Sammy was reading about the Sons of Mosiah for class Tuesday, and when I finished, I was asking him what he'd like to do with what he learned to share it at Vanguard.  He said he didn't know, so I threw out a few ideas and he tossed around a few of them but couldn't decide.  It was after 10pm, so I finally said, "Well, go get your medicine and sleep on it," meaning, well, you know what I meant - think about the ideas, and you can work on it tomorrow.  Being my joker, he fell into a pile of laughter.  "Get your medicine and SLEEP ON IT???"

Ha ha, funny funny.  Now get ready for bed.  I specifically laid out every step for him this time, including lay down on your bed, think about the ideas we talked about, and tomorrow you can work on it.  Before he headed, he told me I should "go to bed and sleep on it."  Thank you, Sam, I probably should.

Before all that started, we also decided it would be cool if there was a Book of Mormon tribe called the Flyakites.  I told him we need to send that to the New Era.  "Daddy, what tribe is this again?"  "They're the Flyakites," with a bunch of Nephitish looking people flying kites.  Pretty good, eh?

You're right. I'll sleep on it.

Eagle Project

Adam put together his Eagle project for last weekend.  Quite a while ago he got the idea from his grandma to upload pictures of headstones to the website findagrave.com.  He put it off for quite a while, then finally decided to get on it.

It really was a great leadership project.  We put the lists of names together of those that don't already have headstone pictures, and thought through how it would work best and be the most effective.  The day before, Adam, Melanie, and I went and did a trial run down one row and got a few more ideas on how we could tweak a few things.

Our local cemetery isn't that big, but even with all those that came, it took about an hour and a half to get all the pictures.  He put everyone in pairs, and one person would check the list to see if that headstone was on the list, and the other person took the pictures.

Adam's main responsibility there was assigning where teams were going and answering questions.  He was never part of any of the teams that day (though he had plenty of opportunities both before and after the big project day to do that).

When all the pictures were taken, we headed back to our house, uploaded all the pictures to one computer, then got the uploading to Find A Grave command center going.  We had four computers uploading like crazy.

The next day Adam, Melanie, and I went and took retakes (we figured between service and family history, it was a worthy Sunday activity).  That evening we got pictures that we hadn't gotten yet, and ended up with ore retakes the next morning.

When we printed out the first list of people there were 315 names on it.  When we decided his project was "done" (after 90 hours of service) it had 75 names left.  We would love to have it down to 0, and that's still the plan, but those last 75 are apparently going to be a lot harder and will involve a lot more searching.  Granted, some may have been missed in the initial searches, but we're still on the first page of the 75 and we've discovered that two of them don't have headstones and one that I don't think is even really buried there.  For those without headstones, we can at least take pictures of the area to upload, but we didn't have any way to know that in the initial run.  Our city doesn't have a cemetery map, so I've been using the website NamesInStone.com to find where they're buried.  Using their map zoomed way out, I used Print Screen to create my own map, and here and there we're mapping where the rest of those people are, searching for their location individually on Names In Stone, then zooming back out enough to be able to see where they are.  Eventually we can go over and finish it off.

A few things we would have done differently that we didn't think of before the big day:
- Instruct that if it's a two person headstone, still take a picture of the whole headstone.  We had two teams that didn't realize that.  Retakes!
- Check the picture size on everyone's cameras.  Some of the cameras we could upload without a problem, but if the file sizes were too big, we had to edit them down (extra step, extra time).  Some of the pictures were ultra small, so when we were editing to make them bigger, some of the pictures were entirely unreadable, or just shoddy looking enough that we wouldn't want to put his name on it.  Retakes!

Overall, it was an incredible experience.

Not just watching my amazing son take this project over and run with it - because I already knew he was amazing.  I get to see that all the time.

But also having my testimony strengthened with experiences over and over that there are people out there wanting to be found.

For instance . . .

- We took a retake picture for someone with a unique grave marker and name.  After that group had been added, I was working on some other names later and noticed the woman's name still on our "to be taken" list.  I went back to that group of pictures to get it added, and in doing the search I noticed she was the only one with that last name listed, but she was buried with her husband.  After more searches to make sure I wasn't duplicating, I got him added him to the website.  I went through all the other pictures in the picture group, and that was the only picture that had been missed.  I asked Melanie about it (she had worked on uploading that group), and she told me she remembered looking at and uploading that picture.

- Though it wasn't on his row, Sammy took a picture of a very unique gravestone, I'm sure just because it was a fun one (it had pictures of the M&M characters carved in).  Knowing it wasn't on his row I didn't think much about it, especially after glancing at the list and seeing that woman wasn't on our list at all.  Later I was checking through the pictures on his list, because the scout entering his pictures didn't upload the back side of the graves.  Going through to add those, I noticed that extra picture again, and checked on the name to make sure she had a picture (from our group or not).  I couldn't find her on the site at all, so I got her added in.

- After retakes on Monday, we got home and were adding them in.  Keep in mind, this is our 3rd retakes trip, and our list was far more specific at this point.  Melanie got to a picture that wasn't listed on our new "no headstone picture," so she looked to see if he was a retake that we had had uploaded but wanted a nicer one.  Again, no listing on the website at all.  We got him added, and uploaded his picture.  (By this time Adam told me I was getting to spiritual freak out mode, but really, why did we take that picture??!!?!)

- Also that Monday there was another that needed a retake, but we didn't know where it was in the cemetery.  I had walked up the row they were on (husband and wife) but missed it somehow.  From the first picture I had jotted the pictures that were on it since it was pretty unique (a truck, a temple, and a woman playing ring around the rosie), but didn't note the name.  We wandered and wandered the cemetery looking for them, and Adam finally found it on that first row I'd been on.  Got the pictures home, and again, no listing for them.  I wouldn't have gone for a retake if I hadn't seen the first picture and written it down.  Why did that first picture get taken?

I can't in any way logically explain why all these random pictures were taken.  The teams all had a list to check and then take a picture if their name was on it.  No pictures were taken that already had a picture uploaded for that person.  Every not-on-the-list picture was someone that needed to be added to Find A Grave.

Like I said, an incredible experience.  And a lot of fun, especially with all the great people involved.  I was very grateful to those that showed up and supported Adam in his project.  And thankful to scouting for helping to build boys in this way.

Medieval Feast

Our homeschool group combined with our "sister group" (so to speak) for an incredible Medieval Feast.  I really didn't know what to expect, but I was so impressed.

It had everything!  I didn't get any pictures of the great food, but it was served in courses.  The younger kids were all helping serve and they had a blast with that.

We also had royalty and a jester . . .

. . . bad guys and monks (I was a princess raised by monks, so dressed as a monk but revealed my true identity later)  . . . 

. . . Dancing! . . . 

. . . chain mail . . . 

. . . dancers from exotic lands . . .

. . . a jousting competition . . .

. . . more dancing . . .

. . . and more dancing . . . 

. . . a giant sword battle . . . 

. . . mingling . . . 

. . . and . . . yah.

All In a Day

Sammy had a check-up recently, and his GI doc wanted us to take him for a bone scan so we could have a baseline for the future (liver issues can cause bone issues).  We had no idea what it would be like, but it was very simple.  They scanned his spine and one of his hips, and all he had to do was lay there while that big arm thing moved along really slowly.  Nice Indian (as in India) lady running it all was fun to talk to while it was going on.  She said to eat more Indian food.  Everything was normal and in good range.

A bit later we headed off to choir, and apparently Adam and his good buddy didn't have enough singing.  Funny, I have another picture similar to this.  The other involved this activity while standing on a picnic table.  I like him on the ground better.

On our way home we dropped Melanie off to a salon for activity days.  They talked about hygeine and did some cool hairdos.  She came home with this coolly weaved and messy bun style.  Twenty-five bobby pins came out of her hair.

While picking up one of Carolyn's friends to get them both (plus another already with us) to their activity days group, we noticed one of my ex-Webelos packing a bajillion camping items to where they would be camping out for the night (it's a sly move - camping in one of the leaders' backyard so all the boys are there and ready to do Scouting for Food the next morning).  When we first saw him half his stuff was on the ground, so I asked Adam if he would go help the poor kid.  He jumped out of the van and headed right over (what a good guy).  I told Adam he should use this picture as a "Don't pack this much stuff!" for the backpacking class he's helping to teach in preparation for an upcoming backpacking trip.  He was very kind and tried to justify it.  "He doesn't need that much stuff for one night!"  "He just lives down the street, mom."  "I know!  Exactly!"  I learned that one of my ex-Webelos (turned 11 that day) got a new pocketknife, and he cut himself with it while they were there.  Aaaah, the joys of scouting.  Does my heart good.

I sure love my Carolyn.  I totally cracks me up how she bundles herself sometimes.

Spring is Here!

It's been so wonderful to have some beautiful weather!  The first two days of sunshine the kids were out almost the whole day, and Carolyn and Sammy have the sunburns to prove it.  It's always a quick reminder that they need to lather up before heading outside.

They've been chalking the driveway and sidewalks with lots of art.  Melanie decorated the front steps - maybe not the best idea with everyone going in and out, but especially when their crawling nephew came to play.  He looks good in pink, right?

They were having a blast tracing each other, then they would turn them into big cartoonish characters.  I thought it was pretty clever and creative.

Madeleine turned 3!  She finally had her birthday, and we dragged it out, both intentionally and not.  Her birthday was Monday but Jamie would be gone, so we had presents and celebrated Sunday.  I didn't remember to decorate, so I did that Monday morning and we sang Happy Birthday to her a lot that day.  Melanie made cupcakes that evening, but with chocolate waffles with ice cream for dinner, then Adam's FHE treat, we didn't need any more treats.  So Tuesday we had the cupcakes.  The girls insisted on candles, and when she had a second cupcake Madeleine needed candles and singing all over again.  Funny girl.

It's getting closer to their next choir performance, and it's going to be another great one.  Carolyn gets to be Annie for two of the four performances.  I've seen a couple small bits of the practices and can' wait for the real thing.  The other Annie's mom made an Annie dress, and she brought it over today for Carolyn to try on.  Adam and Erin will be singing solos, and Melanie is part of a solo/duet thing.

We had a fun stake activity tonight, and with the giant line and waiting time, Erin was the only one that stuck it out for face painting.  Pretty!

Adam Update

At Adam's camp staff meeting in February he was voted president of the camp Venture crew for the summer.  Pretty awesome!  He loved the Venturing activities they had the first year he worked there, but last year with a brand new camp director leading camp, the Venture crew wasn't a big focus.  Sounds like they are really trying to revive it this year.  During the camp staff meeting today he talked about some of the awards they can earn.

Jamie mentioned tonight that Adam will work there this summer and next summer, and he'll be on his mission for the one after that.  CRAZY!

I stole a couple pictures of him at our NYLT staff meeting while he was leading a discussion to decide the staff vision for the course.  The final winning statement was SMARTIES - Scouts May Achieve Respect Together In Every Situation.  They were eating smarties during the meeting, and it was built off the idea that everyone needs to do their part and prepare their best so we can put on an incredible course.

We had a bit of an educational surprise recently.  Adam and I had been looking at and talking about options for next year to keep moving him forward.  The week before then I had heard some homeschooling moms talk about a new program through BYU-Idaho offering concurrent enrollment, so I looked into that and a few other options and told him he needed to decide SOON so we could act as needed for whatever option he chose.  He decided on the BYU-Idaho option, but part of the application process involves taking the ACT test, and the next opportunity for that is April 13 - yikes!  I hadn't been planning on that until next year, so now we're working on preparations for that.  Thank goodness we've been practicing the English portion as part of the writing class I teach.

That's not to mentioned all the regular class work and his self-directed study, but on top of everything, he's teaching a backpacking class with a friend for youth in our homeschool group to help them feel more prepared for their backpacking trip next month.  And he's writing a book.  I get to hear bits and pieces once a month on our free writing week of the writing class, and I am always impressed.  Page-wise, I think he's in the 70 or 80 pages range - incredible!

The thing farthest out of his comfort zone right now is that he's got a solo for choir.  It's a big stretch for him - it would be a big stretch for me! - but he'll be great.

It's exciting to see my oldest growing up into such a great young man.  I thought my youth leadership experiences were great, but compared to what he's had, mine were nothing.  I still see those as the foundation for who I am today, so with Adam's as his foundation, I'm excited to see the places that will take him.

P.S.  One more funny I've forgotten to add about Adam recently.  He's been driving a lot and taking driver's ed online.  For a long time I couldn't talk him into going on the freeway, but I finally told him he was driving us to a meeting this certain Saturday morning (when traffic wouldn't be very bad), and he was taking the freeway.  He turned on his iPod as we pulled out of the driveway, and the song "Man of Constant Sorrows" started playing.  We had a good chuckle over that one.

Chik-fil-a, Trains, Snow, Purple Cake, Mom's Hair, and Painting (whew!)

It's been too busy around here!  Trying to do a little catch up.

Last weekend we went to Chik-fil-a to use Carolyn's free kids meal birthday certificate.  The guy taking our order (Logan) noticed Carolyn and Erin's Camp Loll shirts and mentioned that this is his 4th year staffing there.  Poor Logan had no idea what he was getting himself into, but it was a whole lot of Bartlett vs. Loll banter.  I asked our red-headed Loll staffer friend to tell Logan when he sees him at a meeting sometime that those mean Bartlett people are really nice, but we've had too many Loll vs. Bartlett debates between Adam and Mr. Red Hair that it just comes naturally now.

The little girls were having a blast on the toys there.  Madeleine was this energizer bunny - up the stair things, down the slide, back to the stairs, down the slide.  We couldn't catch her attention though we were sitting so if she had even glanced as she came off the slide she would have seen us.  We finally did once.  There was a flash of a smile showing recognition that "Oh! My family is here too!" as she ran, and she was right back to her focus.  That's her on the left in the pink sweater.

Sammy got to help his grandparents at another train show, and they had this fun train the littles could ride outside.  Sam had been advertising like crazy, and a few friends, even our dentist, went to say hi and see all the fun.

Adam was being a snot one day (really not just ONE day, but . . . ).  I asked him to read an article with me in preparation for Vanguard and he refused.  Refused!  I just wanted his opinion!  By way of persuasion, I told him he could do it or go out and lay in the snow.  "Can I take my book?"  Okay fine.  Guess what he chose.  Punk.  At least it was entertaining for those of us in the house.

Madeleine is turning 3 soon!  We have a monthly birthday party at grandma's for everyone that is having a birthday during the month.  Melanie so kindly made her a chocolate cake and I made purple frosting (she kept saying she wanted to purple cake), and as she got ready to dump it out of the baking pan on to a flat pan to frost it, somehow the cake slipped off the stove.  I grabbed to two biggest pieces and we still frosted them.  Madeleine wasn't upset - it still tasted good.

Erin did my hair at the party.  I think my girls look way cuter in ponies than I do, but still a fun picture.

This Madeleine story tops all.  She was "braiding" my hair as she put it, but just playing with the front section.  At one point she bit it and I told her that's nasty, but she kept playing away.  Suddenly she said, "All it needs is a little . . ." and as her voice trailed off she spit in her hand!  Quick like a ninja I grabbed her hand and wiped it on her shirt.

This week in Vanguard we had an "artist in training" come and let us do some oil painting.  It was very interesting how much the boys got into it vs. the girls in the class.  Sammy painted a really cool train picture, and Adam worked on this huntery/fighter/something guy.  I think we need to paint around here more.  I was very impressed with both!

At pack meeting this month they gave us the picture taken at Blue and Gold last month.  Everyone else had these nice family poses.  It was just the boys and I that night (I told them they could come since they help me with Webelos sometimes), so we, well, Sam and I had to ham it up.  Adam does look very cool, though.

This was too sweet to not take a picture during scriptures.  That little girl loves her daddy.