November 18, 2010

Home Improvements

There is a light switch in my room that does nothing.  There is no ceiling light and none of the outlets are connected to the switch.  Even though I have lived in this house for over a year, I still flip the switch most times when I walk in my room expecting a light to come on.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I came home from shopping the other day and my husband was installing a ceiling light in our room!  We could tell from the 'uneveness' or whathaveyou of the texture of the ceiling that there must have at one time been a fixture there.  So Scott climbed into the attic, found the (what's that technical jargon...?) thing and wires to connect a light to, and cut a hole in the ceiling to get to it, and hooked up a new light fixture.  Awesome.  Now when I turn on the light switch I have light!  I had no idea it was even on his to do list.

And last week ago Scott and Brennen built me a food storage shelf.  We have no pantry or storeroom to speak of. So I have food in the laundry room and Scott's office, which are both off of the kitchen.  I decided I needed a shelf to put all those bottles of grape juice I did.  And applesauce and next year's peaches (I didn't do any of those this year).  I designed a shelf for the laundry room deep enough to hold 3 quart-sized bottles, and 2 #10 cans (the kind we Mormons get from the dry pack cannery), and just tall enough to maximize space. If you are curious, each shelf is 12 and 3/4 inches deep and 7 and 1/2 inches apart (high).   And the shelves had to fit between the garage door and the door to the backyard.  I designed them and my boys put them up.  Aren't they beautiful?!?


(note on the right side my genius husband put nails to hold our tape!)
and I really don't have that many bottles of juice -- I mean they are not "3 deep"-- a lot are just at the front so it looks like more, you know, for a better picture...

November 11, 2010

Why oh Why


These are my oldest boys enjoying the use of laptop computers courtesy of the school.
Every student in the Farmington district from 6-12 grade is issued a laptop.  In a time when art programs and music programs, positions and teachers' pay are being cut, let's put a computer in the hands of every student.  Why?!? Of course the computers come from grant money so it is different from the budget.  whatever.

Do you think these boys (in the picture) are doing homework?  no no no.  Games.  The computers come with wireless internet. And of course it is 'filtered' so they can't access everything on the internet.  yeah right.  filters only do so much and any kid who wants to can find ways around the filter.  It just makes me upset and frustrated as a parent that in today's world with all the technology, challenges, and temptations that exist for our kids today that the public education system would provide them with a tool to make it easier for kids access harmful things.  Yes, parents should monitor their kids and communicate and be open and all that.  As a parent I can limit the technology my kid has, such as smart phones and itouches with browsers, etc., and put my home computer in the dining room, but what do I do when the school gives them laptops?  Kids can go anywhere there is free wi-fi and do whatever they want on their computers.  I can teach my kids, but I can't hold their hands and be with them everywhere.


Yes, this picture of my boys is in their bedroom, and we have since made a rule that they can only use their computers in the living room and dining room.

Why do the laptops need wireless internet?  Supposedly the textbooks are on the computers.  (my junior says that his teachers don't even use the computers).  Can't they access textbooks without a wireless internet?  I am not a computer tech so I don't know much about how that works, but I am sure I could figure out a way to use the computers without wireless access away from school.  I am mad and that my kids have something in their hands that opens up danger and temptation that they don't need at this young age.  And also something that gives them less personal interaction with family and peers.  I know that one day my kids will be on their own and have to make choices then, but they will be older, more mature and able to handle things better.  Right now they are teenagers with teenage brains trying to figure out the world.  They don't need help of laptops and the internet at their fingertips!!

November 10, 2010

Love and Marriage

Scott and I celebrated 18 years of marriage this past weekend.  


Our life together has included . . .

2 Bachelor's degrees (his: accounting,  mine: business education) 

5 children 

4 apartments

4 houses

5 cities (Logan, Salt Lake, West Valley, Brigham City UT, and Farmington NM)

Lots of memories and adventures, up and downs, trials and triumphs, love for the gospel and each other.   


We found out quickly enough that we got married the wrong time of year--the winding down of volleyball season. because I am such a volleyball nut.  Whether I was coaching and it was state tournament (way back in my 'other' life), or whether I was/am playing for city leagues or church, or we were both playing church co-ed, there always seems to be some type of volleyball during the first weekend of November!  So appropriately, we watched the high school district title volleyball game together Saturday night as part of our long date that involved the whole afternoon and evening.  I guess he knew marrying me included volleyball...