Field trip to the coast

I love going on field trips with Josh. Today his class went to Newport and visited the marine science center there. It was a cold, windy day. I was glad I had brought two jackets for us.

First we went to the mud flats and dug for shrimp. Josh and I excaved several holes, but we didn't have any luck finding shrimp. Other people did and we got to see them. They were very small and pretty aggresive. We were out at low tide, and they talked to us about where the water was at high tide. He taught us about pollution sources and habitates. The mud flats were part of an estuary. Where fresh water meets ocean water.

Then we entered the building. There were several "tide pools" and other exhibits. The first picture shows Josh touching an anemone. It is the green hairy blob in the water.

After lunch, we went to "class" and talked about rocky intertidal areas. They had barnacles and mussels. The kids got to put plankton in the water and watch the barnacles filter feed. Fun.

The second picture shows Josh with a sea star. We learned that sea stars have tiny pinchers on their skins. These pinchers can pull arm hair. I felt it too. Very odd.
Sea stars like to eat clams. We had live cockel clams (?) and when the sea stars were put in the same dishes the clams went a bit crazy. It took a good 5 or ten minutes for some of them to react, but the clams would push out their foot and flail around trying to get away from the sea star. I think the clams were seriously tramatized, but the kids loved it.

All in all a fun and successful day. Definitly worth the 90 minute bus ride to get there.

I love music!

There are some seriously talented musicians in our stake. Three enterprising souls have put together a stake choir to perform an Easter Concert on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter Sunday.

I have been attending practises for over a month now. It is a 15 minute drive right in the middle of Sunday afternoon. I've had to forgo Sunday naps and keep track of time a bit more than I've been used to. But the first time I went, I was hooked. I got to sing a 'G' on top of the staff. I've been thinking what it is about the high notes that thrill me.

To reach that note, I have to commit totally. I can't hold anything back. I have to sit up straight, or better yet stand. I have to throw my voice up into my head, not strain for the note. When I hit it, it rings through my soul. My body becomes the note.

I don't necessarily love to hear womens voices. Given a choice, I prefer a wonderful men's chorus. I do love the full chord of both voices, or really all four or six voices. And if the whole song is crazy high it rarely works. I have a hard time singing harmony. I can't hear the lower notes. So I have been happy learning how to sing the melody, and the high notes.

I've been trying to teach myself how to sing the alto. It's taken years. I usually try on the Sacrament song. I've been trying to listen for the alto part. I am amazed at the ability others have to hear the different notes. I have a sense of satisfaction when I am able to sing alto for a verse. But the thrill of singing for me really is hitting a crazy high note.

Today I hit a high 'A'. I can still feel the glow of that glorious note. :)

Subbing in nursery

I usually get to go to Sunday School and Relief Soceity at Church. I love to join in the discussion and get the spiritual uplift of good and insightful discussion.

But today I got to play in the nursery with the 18 month olds. I think all the 3 year olds were out today. Two little boys decided that they liked me. On relaxed on my shoulder and quit crying. It felt so good to have a little body melt into me like that. Boaz rarely did it, and it's been a very long time since Josh has done so. We brought out the snacks and he I learned he loves rasins. He growled deeply in appreciation. Just thinking about that gives me a glow of satisfaction. The other little boy was very sad, and the rasins and gold fish and animal crackers didn't do it for him. So he sat on my lap. And then he began to melt into me. He is a sturdy little boy, and I found I was adjusting my arm a few times, and my tail bone began to ache while I was sitting on the little nursery chairs. Of course my shoes were not helping, I wore heels -- silly me. But then the miracle happened. This little boy fell asleep in my arms. I didn't know that I missed that as badly as I do. Just think I could have been in Sunday School and Relief Society and in the middle of fun gospel discussions. But instead God blessed me with a sleepy toddler. Truely He loves me. :)

Tower, ready for take off

This has been the airplane for more than a week now. When Josh is at school, Boaz gets to be the pilot. It looks like Boaz is praying for a safe landing. :)

Craig's a baker

I came home from work and Craig had made rolls. They are simply delicious. These rolls are famous in his family and he got the recipe about a month ago. I knew he had baked them and was looking forward to feasting on them with my homemade blackberry jam. Wonderful! :)

I was surprised this morning to find a picture of them on my camera. He must have known I would post them on the blog once I found them. :)

We will certainly start to gain weight with his new skill. So we are talking about purchasing a wheat grinder. That way we will be ingesting complex carbohydrates. And I'm sure that will make all the difference. The mill we are looking at is supposed to be able to grind a nice fine flour. I'm excited to see how it does. In the meantime, I will be feasting on yummy, fluffy homemade rolls and blackberry jam. It must be a taste of heaven.

A new apron

I promised Brenda a new apron back in October. I finally got it done just last month. I made her put it on, she wasn't too happy to be modeling it in her work uniform.

Fun apron though :)

Nest for a boy

I don't know what it is about boys. Mine at least love to create little spaces for themselves.

Here Boaz has pushed the cushions loose from the couch and is watching a movie in his own created space. He's wearing Josh's old Halloween costume. He was probably watching Spiderman III.

I'm pretty sure he knew the camera was watching. He looks pleased with himself. :)