I is for I

1. I love to watch birds in formation.

Sometimes when I ride my bike by the bay, a big flock of birds with fly by and make the neatest shapes and patters.

Or sometimes the geese are high in the sky, flying south in their V shape. I think it's fascinating to see them perform something so instinctual and efficient and scientific and artistic.

 

 

2. I am learning to play the piano.

When I was in high school, I took piano lessons for a few months as a young women's project. I am terrible at it. Lots of my family members have natural musical talent, and I do not.

So when we moved into this house with a built in piano, I said, "someone needs to learn to play the piano."

I have been wanting to learn something new lately. I've lost the bug for crafting and sewing, but I wanted another challenge that I could do here at home with my kids. Valerie's piano is the perfect thing for this season of my life.

I rented some piano books from the library and learned some chords. That kind of turned a light on for me. Then I bought Hymns Made Easy. I play every song until I get to the end of the book, and then I start again.

It's fun to see how I improve every time I start over on the first page. I like that my kids see me doing something different besides chores. When they "need" something from me, they realize that I too am a human being, and they will have to wait until after I am done "playing".

I love the sacrament hymns. They are my favorite. With all the sharps and flats, the songs are so dramatic and emotional. I love when Avery sings along with "I Stand All Amazed" (we learned it this year in primary). I love that my brain is stretching in a new way.

But I'm still pretty terrible at it.

 

(I found this picture on my camera. It cracks me up.

"no officer. I wasn't napping.")

 

3. I don't understand why candy companies think it's a good idea to make blue suckers that dye children's mouths/faces/hands/ blue. Blue suckers are my worst enemy.

4. I am loving Pandora radio lately. These are my current favorite channels:

"The Weepies". They are a husband/wife duo, folky and mellow. I listen to it when I'm in the mood for nostalgic, woodsy tunes.

"Florence and the Machine". This channel procures some great violin hip hop, synthesizing, orchestral, energy tunes. It makes me stop what I'm doing and have a little dance off with what ever kid is in the room at the moment.

"Band of Horses". A little bit ballad, a little bit angst.

5. Mary texted me the other day to say that this yarn wig tutorial from our long forgotten craft blog has received 55,000 hits on pinterest.

Haha! It makes me squirm a bit. It makes me proud a bit. It made me go and edit it a bit. I don't know.

If I were to do it again, I would just sew a simple red yarn braid onto a red beanie.

 

 

6. Me and my sisters/mom text all the time. For the past few months we have been obsessing about Charles Wysoki puzzles and art. If you were a fly on the wall of our texts, you would mostly hear about different puzzles we have found at thrift stores or on eBay. Haha. It's just so nerdy.

 

 

7. I have mixed feelings about technology. It's such a double edged sword (if you don't mind me using the cliche). So often it makes me think of Lehi's Dream. You know when all the people are in the great and spacious building laughing and pointing at the people eating from the tree? I am struck with the thought that social media is the great and spacious building of our time. It is the perfect vehicle for mockery and hatred and falsities. I can't really explain what I mean, but basically, the comments section is the most depressing place to ever visit.