Cute Frilly Socks

I got this pattern from HERE. I guess if you wanted to make some socks for a boy, you could just hem the edges, instead of stretching them to make them curl up.

I've buckled down and decided to get some of my priorities straight. Like reading. I love to read. I guess I love reading more than I love sleeping, since I'll sacrifice precious hours of dark silence to the newest novel that I have, instead of cuddling up next to my honey and passing out. As a Mormon we're counseled by our leaders, as well as commanded by the Lord, to read our scriptures. My bedside table is set up with my scriptures next to my lamp, and when I climb in the bed with my other book, I place it on top of my scriptures. Ok, starting to get the picture? So, I challenged my young women at church as well as myself to just start out reading five minutes or more before going to bed- which for me means "before reading anything else." Unfortunately, the only set of scriptures that I can find of mine at the moment are my Finnish set, but after a week of reading them, I am excited to be back studying the language as well as reading. If Adam is still awake when I come to bed, I'll read my five minutes out loud to him, which he can't understand a word of but I translate the gist of it after I'm done. I've noticed a lot of improvement in my stress level and attitude during the day. I'm so glad too, cause I've been pretty short-fused this pregnancy. So I feel like I'm getting not just spiritual blessings, but academically uplifted as well.

Here's an example of a verse from the Book of Mormon:

Ja tapahtui, että minä, Nefi, sanoin isälleni: Minä menen ja teen sen, mitä Herra on käskenyt, sillä minä tiedän, ettei Herra anna ihmislapsille mitään käskyjä valmistamatta heille keinoa toteuttaa sitä, mitä hän käskee heidän tehdä.

And click Välittääkö Jumala siitä, mitä teen elämälläni? to hear how Finnish sounds, but you have to click on the video of the girl.

Singing Time

Chrissy is so funny. She LOVES to sing. I'll hear her humming or la-la-la-ing. Some of her favorite songs are "Boom Boom Pow"- Black Eyed Peas(thanks Nana), which she just says "boom, boom, boom" over and over, and "Hey Soul Sister"- Train. I really like it when she sings this one. I learned the chords to it, so as I start to play the chorus, she joins in singing "Heh-ay, heeeeeh-ay, heeeh-ay. To-niiiight". Although her "tonight" is mainly just "iiiiii..."- cute right?! And I thought Tripp was musical, but she's started singing at an earlier age than the other two. Erick likes to sing "Old MacDonald", but he's a little shaky on the second line of "and on that farm..." so he asks me to sing it with him. I don't mind. I sing all the time. Sometimes I sing about what I'm about to have them do- like take a nap, or eat lunch. I have been known to sing a punishment or two, which was probably a punishment in itself, but it brightens my mood. Tripp has been watching episodes of Speed Racer on huluPlus and sometimes I hear him singing "Go Speedracer" to his own special tune :)
I have always wanted a family like the Von Trapps- you know, everybody sings and it's not just all in unison. I've asked a few mothers that have grown children who attend choir with them, or participate in musical numbers as a family, what their secret is of getting their children interested in singing. One said to sing all the time- I checked my little mental box off on that one. Another said to bring them with you to choir and anything else musical that I might lead or direct or participate in. All good advice. But I also worried- what if my boys take after my husband who, although he sings very well, refuses to sing in public and only sings in the car when he thinks your sleeping? He did that with my mom, and it was so funny when she said, "Wow Adam, you have a good voice," and he said, "I thought you were asleep!"
And yet another mother assured me that her husband never sang, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't carry a tune, but he always supported them and came to their performances. I'll have to make sure Adam does at least that!
I guess if I ever record Chrissy singing I will post it on here, it is too cute.