Sunday, August 12, 2012

Post-Summer Blues

I haven't posted in a long time.  Not because I don't want to, but nothing noteworthy has happened!  After arriving home from Girl's Camp, I put the house back in order and started working on little piddly projects.  It was great!  I finished a pillow that I had started a few years back.  I caught up on Maddie's scrapbook.  I made dinners.  I just got stuff done.

We also watched the Olympics.  Here is a case of Nature vs. Nurture.  I remember as a child, watching some Olympic coverage and hearing about amazing athletes.  I dreamed of a world where these athletes had never heard of each other and never left their countries.  The Russians trained in Russian villages with Russian coaches and came to the Olympics every four years - their only connection with the outside world.  They all loved each other and cheered for each other.  I don't know what I was watching, but that was my understanding.  So I was wrong.  But through it all, I developed a love for the Olympic games that has never diminished.  This love has only increased as the years have passed.  Even when I know the outcome, I will sit and watch it all until midnight.  The curious element is the passion that my children have developed for the Games.  WOW!! From the Opening Ceremonies to the very end tonight, they have been glued.  Rozzie mopes around the house, frustrated that we didn't get her into a sport in which she could have become an Olympic athlete.  She forgets that she was on the swim team.  She has a trampoline in the back yard that she could practice on.  She can join track.  Her dreams of glory are fading as she quickly ages.  So, the question remains:  Was it Nature or Nurture that instilled in my children a love for the Olympics?

Surprisingly, Travis isn't that interested.  He finds some of it interesting and will join us in watching some of the Games, but mostly, the sports fan of the family shows relative disinterest.

Maddie and Morgan played their violins in church today.  They played "How Great Thou Art".  I posted the rehearsal on facebook; it isn't great, but you get the idea.  They did a wonderful job.  Maddie had a mental block on a section that repeated last week that reduced her to tears, but she worked through it and did well today.

I started back to school last week.  I had many 13-14 hour days.  I still have a little more to do tomorrow, but I'll be all ready for students on Tuesday.  I like my schedule:

1st Per:  English III
2nd Per:  English III
3rd Per:  English IV
4th Per:  Planning
5th Per:  Fashion/Design
LUNCH
6th Per:  Fashion/Design

I have a feeling that my days will fly by!!  Maddie starts high school on Tuesday; Rozzie starts her junior year.  Seminary starts on Tuesday, also, with Br. Collard as the teacher.  Morgan heads out to BYU for band camp on Friday.  We have loved having her here for a few weeks and we will miss her a lot.  She has been a busy knitter, knitting hot pads and dish cloths for her and me!!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer!!

2 comments:

Shoebox Princess said...

We've watched the Olympics here, although we don't quite have the fervor that your household has. When we didn't have TV service for four days, Hayley didn't complain, and I didn't miss it. Matt didn't miss it while he was at camp. Jim is the most interested one, and partly because of the music of the opening/closing ceremonies. But that's not to say we haven't enjoyed it, because we have.

That's good that you got stuff done this summer despite all your camps. I have been hard pressed to get projects done, although the garden, what little I planted, has been tended to and beans washed and frozen for future dinners.

What will you teach in your design classes this year?

Jen said...

I used to feel the same way about the Olympics, especially gymnastics. I'd know everything there was to know about each gymnast. Then when it started coming out about all the enhancement drugs, and how many of the athletes would actually train/live in different countries than where they were from, the new scoring, and now lately the hundreds of thousands of condoms, etc., the magic was gone. I still watch a lot of the games and get excited for USA also making the kids watch, but it's just not the same.

Sounds like you've, once again, got a busy schedule. Isn't it funny how just a few years ago you were subbing and could go home right after school with no worries and extra school responsibilities. Now it sounds like you are the busiest teacher alive.