THE PLANE(S), THE PLANE(S)!

Heard of First World Problems?  Here's Homeschool Problems:

1. Jonathan complains that Analiese is doing a "cool" spelling list and he never had those words before (It's old Readers' Digest Word Powers).  I ask him if he wants to do spelling now.  "No, I'm too busy.  Still..."

2. Analiese not only rattles off all of the 13 Articles of Faith in Primary on Sunday, but verse 15 of Joseph Smith - History, which is part of a Scripture Mastery we've been memorizing.  Blows them all away.

I am sorry that all my California friends are suffering from droughts and wildfires.  We have drought conditions, too, but have been blessed with a little more moisture lately.  Friday, on my trip to Lawton for a Seminary meeting, we got wet because of the storm between us.  I did some shopping there (take advantage of all the stores they have there) and got drenched.  My denim dress smelled funky when it got wet.  Analiese was with me, but had a great time because we had breakfast at IHOP and lunch at Carl's Jr. and bought some fabric for her new 4H sewing project.

Altus was all excited this week because of the Open House at the Air Force base this weekend.  The Thunderbirds were coming to perform, and the latter part of the week had the air roaring with their jet engines.  Jonathan was on pins and needles excited because some marines came to the airport in their special helicopters, presumably in preparation for the air show, too.

Saturday morning we had a pancake breakfast at the airport to earn $ for tools for Jonathan's class.  I got to meet his new airframe instructor, Mr. Huttie, as well.  Apparently he is well liked, because many students and teachers complimented him highly.  I'm prejudiced, so I can't say anything.

A quick stop home after the breakfast, and we ran over to the base.  It opened at 9:00, and we were there about 9:45, but it wasn't really packed...yet.  There were several planes on the ground we could go through and they had a really cool interactive Air Force station with iPads and earphones.  Jonathan "jumped" from an airplane and landed ahead of his competitors.

We placed our camp chairs in a really great spot near the runway and went back-and-forth between there and the exhibits (and the food!).  At first the day was very grey, but the sun came out and the airshow was easily seen!  Downfall of it all was that, even with some sunscreen, we all got burnt.  I have a red "necklace" from when I was looking up at the planes, red ears, and burnt lips - those hurt the worst. 

And getting out was not as easy as getting in.  It took us nearly 45 minutes to leave and, in the meantime, got to see two guys act like idiots fighting over who wasn't letting whose car in where (they were serving beer on base, I give it some credit for this behavior).  Finally, some airmen came over and cleared the mess up.  Have some dignity!

Jonathan gave a talk in church Sunday.  He's only written it Saturday evening...with some counsel from his mother (I did NOT write it for him).  He was not happy about doing it...mainly because it was his mother who told the bishop that we needed more youth speakers.  Problem was, he wasn't given a youth talk - he was told to give a 15-minute one!  I cannot say that his talk even came close to it, but that well was dry and they were lucky to get what they did.  He is not an enthusiastic public speaker.

I'm going to let the pictures tell the rest of the week's story.  Let's just say Jonathan had a great week (minus Sunday)!  All those big smiles and him talking (airplane stuff) are evidence!

NEW FORMAT - FAIR WEEK

I'm changing my blog format.  I can't really do it day-by-day right now.  I am just too busy and too tired.  So I'll give you things as they come along.  And I will try to remember to take pictures!

I am learning to cut back on activities and volunteering for things.  Seminary is enriching, fulfilling and... time-taking.  I am enjoying it and hope the kids are, too.  I give myself an hour each day to study for Seminary, on top of teaching the class in the morning.  I also found out this week that I have a monthly inservice in Lawton - on a Friday - at 6:00 a.m.  Which means: 1. I have to leave here around 5 a.m., 2. I have to get up around 4:30, 3. I have to get a substitute for Seminary, 4. I have to find someone to drive Jonathan to the college that morning (I don't think I'll be back in time).  I just keep telling myself: Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven!

My cold is all but over, thankfully, but the fatigue has yet to subside.  Wednesday evening Analiese had Activity Days.  She wanted to run around and play with the girls afterwards but, even at 8:00 p.m. when I went to get her, I was too tired.  Sorry, kid, I gotta go home!

I did make it back to water aerobics on Wednesday, though!  Yay!  I just couldn't go with that cold.  Couldn't give blood last week, either, while I was still "draining."  Charming.

If you want to know what we did on Labor Day: we labored.  The kids cleaned rabbit cages (last Saturday Jonathan was helping someone move so they couldn't do it then), I went through a bunch of old food storage and canned goods I was given (by the person Jonathan helped move) and tossed most of it out.  Ken smoked bacon-wrapped chicken for us...our once-a-year treat!  (It is so good, but so fattening!)

The Fair is this week, so Wednesday Analiese and I went to the Expo Center in town and entered in some of her sewing projects into the fair, plus a poster she won an award with from 4H about the sewing club.   Plus, I brought some chocolate chip cookie bars to be sold at the Concession Stand (manned by 4H).   The Fair doesn't officially start until Thursday and runs through Saturday.  Thursday is rabbit day for us, and the only day we'll attend this year due to busy schedules.

She sure cleaned up at the Fair!  Her skirt and her bag both won first prize and will go on to the State Fair at the end of this month.  Her poster won fifth place, so even there she got a ribbon.  She showed both Alice and Fluffernutter and came away with first place on both of them, mainly from lack of competitors, but only got a participation ribbon for her showmanship.  She needs a little more work on that.  Still, she's starting to collect ribbons and I need to figure out the best way to show them.

The biggest surprise at the fair, though, was seeing one of Fluffer's babies!  This was the one we sold to a friend of the Maldonado's.  They brought him to the fair to try and enter him and want to join the 4H rabbit club.  Analiese became fast friends with the girl and I just marvelled how big Tux (now Thumper) had become!  Jonathan was away on base at Scouts and I knew he'd be disappointed to not see him.  His fur is really a combo of his mom and dad.  Look like mom in structure, not really color, but it feels so soft underneath. 

Little Tux in March; Big Boy in September!

Friday was a Lawton day with $700 to spend at Sam's on junk for Ken's employees at the prison.  How I wish I had that for good stuff!  But we got in and out fast enough to get home before dark.

Analiese went to Lawton on Saturday, too, for a Stake Activity for the young girls.  Luckily, I didn't have to take her, her Activity Days Leader did.  They had a good time, because she called, being silly, on her way back, to tell me to pick her up at the church.