Church Genes

When I was a little girl, my favorite thing to do on the bottom stairs was to play church. I used to bend over into the corner of the hall and bear my testimony into a tiny little pipe attached to the wall. (Why I didn't ever ask for a toy microphone I'll never know.)

Equipped with the (old) hymn book, baby dolls and even bread... I played church.

It was one of my favorite past times.

Recently I was telling my friend that one of my children's favorite things to do together is 'play church.' My friend's question was, "Did you teach/tell them to play?"

No. I NEVER DID. In fact, when I told my children I used to do the same thing, they were surprised.

My kids sit on the stairs, use Megan's music stand, and give talks, say prayers and sing songs.

With the exception of them playing Primary, whereas I always played Sacrament Meeting, it is eerily similar. (Although I played alone with a couple of dolls instead of siblings.)

They are amusing to listen to.
(Even if I do feel mildly resentful that I never had a music stand, microphone and/or real people to play with.)

They imitate their primary teachers, leaders and choristers.
I don't think I've ever listened without laughing and smiling from another room.

Are these type of behaviors hereditary? Are my kids doomed to turn out like me?

Discovery

Does anyone else find it odd (besides Drew's pediatrician) that I didn't know my baby had two bottom teeth until he bit my toes one night?

(I make sure I am wearing slippers now!)

Happenstance

Just happened to notice this the other day...

Lesson

In preparation and studying for my Gospel Doctrine (Sunday School) lesson on Sunday, I had spent the previous couple of weeks studying Adam and Eve and the events that took place in the Garden of Eden. So Saturday evening, while alone with just five year old Ellie, I thought I'd test her knowledge.

"Ellie, why don't you tell me what you know about Adam and Eve," I began.

Ellie got a slightly perplexed look on her face and replied,

"I don't think I know him. Is he in Kindergarten or first grade?"

So my plan for Monday's Family Home Evening was to have the lesson on Adam and Eve. Only thing was, it was Luke's turn for the lesson and rather than me give him the lesson idea, I wanted Luke to decide what he wanted to 'teach us.'

Perhaps it was all meant to be... because as Luke began his Family Home Evening preparations he whispered to me,

"In Primary we learned about the creation, so I'm going to teach about Adam and Eve and we'll act it out."

Per Luke's instructions, everyone dressed their designated part.

Megan was Eve.
Luke-Adam,
Joshua-a cow, and
Drew-a sheep.
(Joshua quickly tired of being the cow and wanted to be "this" as he draped a piece of blue cloth in front of Mike.) Drew kept tripping over his sheep costume and as soon as he was freed from it, he was quickly transformed into a cow.)

The creation was ready to begin. Daddy was requested to stand up, and quickly given instructions by director, Luke.

Daddy with grand hand gestures and the instructed, "Pppgghhhuuu" magical sound, created the earth. Followed by further instructions and repeated sound and hand movements, Adam and Eve appeared in the Garden of Eden. (The cows and the sheep, I guess were just part of the territory.)

The downside? Ellie had a major temper tantrum and was excused from 'the lesson,' so her earlier perplexed state questioning Adam and Eve's existence may still be in question.

"Surprise"

Before Luke would settle down for the family activity Saturday night, he insisted he had 'something to work on' in the office. While everyone else was keeping themselves occupied, Mike and I sat on the couch talking. When suddenly we hear and see Luke running to us with his arms in the air,

"SURPRISE, I grew a mustache and armpit hair in the office."

Who wouldn't burst out laughing at that!?

Week's End

In less than 3 minutes, Ellie learned how "to tie." Only thing is, her only pair of "tie shoes" are her tap shoes. She wears them constantly. Untying them, tying them again, untying them, tying them again, untying. . .

Mommy found Drew, three stairs from the top!
We are now working on coming down them the correct way.

Joshua insists, "He can come down them. He did at Melanie's house once."
(I tried to explain it doesn't count if the coming
down involves, bump, crash, cry, bump, crash, cry.)

Megan is now determined to never mis-spell
'L-A-T-I-T-U-D-I-N-A-R-I-A-N' ever again.

And those are the highlights of a week in the life of our (happy) family!

Something For Nothing

(The innocent (or guilty) brands/relatives/owners/givers shall all remain nameless.)

It all started when I happened to tell Mike that the doorbusters for Black Friday at my 'sister-in-laws family tie to a business' were dishwashers. Could he get one? How much were they? Anything will work better than ours? They didn't have stainless steel, end of story.

But, unfortunately, the story doesn't end there.

Black Friday came and went. Our dishwasher broke a few more spokes. Another wheel came off the bottom rack, and Mike's drinking glasses continued to come out of the dishwasher with undrinkable particles in them.

In a passing conversation, Mike happened to mention to our sister-in-law that a dishwasher was still on his mind.

In an unexpected turn of events, we were given a 'dishwasher that is in good condition.' We were thrilled. A good brand, not used very much dishwasher. And the most grateful part, no money would be accepted.

Wow. A new to us dishwasher.

Saturday mid-day, Mike began the dishwasher project. Mid-day passed, a trip to the store for parts was made. Afternoon; a couple more parts were purchased, a few phone-calls were made. Evening was upon us, and Mike was just about finished working on the dishwasher. A few, (ok, kind of a lot) of adjustments had been made.

"Get it loaded, Tiffany, turn it on and call me if there's a problem,"
directed my dear husband who was leaving to purchase one last part to make the dishwasher secure and firmly put in place.

I load the new dishwasher. I put in the soap. I turn it on. A noise indicates to me that it has started. The noise stops. I view this as 'a problem." I call Mike.

"Oh no," insists Mike, "One of the features of this dishwasher is the silence."
"Wow. it must be a good one." I excitedly reply, "You wouldn't even know it's running?"
Mike returns.
The dishwasher is still in it's 'silence mode.'

A phone call to the brother whose wife is the sister-in-law who's identity is being protected, further supports Mike's viewpoint, "Oh yeah" insists the brother, "They are quiet. I never even know when her parents is on."

By this point, ever the skeptic, yours truly, disagrees that the dishwasher isn't 'a silent one' but rather 'a not working one.'

I begin to wonder aloud. I firmly state my original position. I am sensing a problem.

Mike gets on his knees.

Not to pray. But to listen.

"I don't hear it" he timidly admits.

"Told you" I firmly respond.

"Just give it time," Mike, always the right one, declares.

And that was Saturday afternoon.

It is Tuesday night. The soap has not emptied from the dispenser. The dirty dishes have been removed.

I am looking for the positive whilst living without a dishwasher and having to do dishes by hand for the last three days.

#1 I WAS RIGHT. Mike was wrong. The dishwasher is not "a silent one" but rather, "a not working one."
#2 Paper products
#3 Ellie's attitude: "My very favorite thing to do is dry the dishes, but I think I will really like washing them too. That will be the most fun."

As for the dishwasher solution.
Don't ask.
We don't know.