Saturday at the Temple

The Primary kids and their families had a wonderful activity at the Boston Temple this morning.  We started off in the church next to the temple . . .

. . . where Daddy played with this gorgeous organ while we waited for everyone else to arrive.  Our piano-player Daddy isn't exactly proficient with the organ, but he knows enough about it to have some fun with it . . .

. . . and to show Daniel the basics . . .

. . .  while Joy read a book until the activity officially started.

After hearing some fun messages, we hiked up the paved trail from the church . . .

. . . to the temple.  It was sweet to walk around the temple grounds with our children and quietly take them into the lobby, where we talked about some of the things we learn and do in the temple, and why it is so important to us.  I hope all of our children will come to treasure the temple as much as I have.

Dream Couches

Some people dream of owning a certain car, a nice sound system, or great season passes to watch their favorite sports team.  My dream has been to own a trampoline for our kids to bounce on . . .

. . . and comfy leather couches with enough space for our whole family to sit in the family room together.  My dream couches arrived today, and they are quite comfy indeed.

Evergreen (Most of the Time)

I woke up this morning to a lovely sight.

A tall tree in our backyard was flecked with red on the ends of its branches (the photo doesn't do it justice).  It was beautiful, but not unexpected.  We just started autumn, after all.

This, on the other hand, caught me by surprise.  I never knew that half the needles on pine trees turn yellow and drop off in fall.  Apparently, "evergreen" doesn't mean "always totally green."

If you'd like a closer look, here's a branch that broke off one of our pines this week (probably when Joy was climbing it).

Autumnal Equinox 2019

It's the first day of autumn!

The temperatures have been warmer this week, but the trees aren't fooled.  They know the year is winding down . . .

. . . and their leaves are starting to trade in green for yellows, oranges, and reds. 

The first day of fall also means it's time to make this year's first batch of pumpkin cookies!  The kids mixed up the dry ingredients, and I mixed up the wet ones . . .

. . . in a Kitchenaid mixer that's older than I am.  I would have taken a picture of the finished cookies for your viewing pleasure, but they never last very long around our house. :)

Happy Fall!

I Came, I Saw, I Tried

I visited Daniel and Anna's school this evening.  Every other school district we've lived in called it Back to School Night, but here it's known as Curriculum Night.  And roundabouts are called rotaries.  And Worcester is pronounced "Whoo-stuh."  Just roll with it.

Here's Daniel's desk, with some of his schoolwork, and a quiz about my son (which I think I epicly failed--do you know YOUR child's favorite song???).

I'm sure Daniel won't judge my quiz performance too harshly, since he's not perfect either (I love that little comment at the top of his work-in-progress drawing).

Here's Anna's desk, with her schoolwork and a book she likes. 

I successfully identified her self-portrait among all the others on the classroom wall . . .

. . . and was intrigued to learn that one of her "hopes and dreams" is to "be a good swimmer."  I guess we should revisit swim lessons next summer.

I also loved this quote on one of the kids' classroom walls.  There really is so much more happiness to be found in being principled, generous, and kind than in most things pop culture tends to idolize.  I hope I can help my kids (and myself) remember that.

Think Outside the Slide

The kids and I met some friends at the park today.  Joy climbed onto a wood structure, then kind of freaked out because she wasn't sure how to get back down.  She eventually figured it out though . . . 

. . . then she climbed back up again to prove she wasn't scared of it anymore.

Then she climbed this . . .

. . . and this.  Typical Joy--why play with things the way everyone else does, when it's more fun to think outside the slide?

Enjoying the Fresh Almost-Autumn Air

Autumn is right around the corner . . .

. . . and this bush in our yard definitely knows it.

The weather is still warm enough for Todd to enjoy the trampoline though . . .

. . . and for Joy to go tree climbing in our yard.  She asked me to take a picture of her near the top, and I obliged, but I pointed out that it's hard to see a girl wearing a green shirt in a green tree.

So she climbed down, put on a white shirt, and went back up for a second picture.  Better?

Minivan = Couch Mover

Hey kids, guess what I've got in the van?

A new couch!

Our living room desperately needed more seating, so I went and found this practically-new couch on Craig's List.  Judging from its measurements, I figured it could easily fit in our minivan, and I was right!  Alas, I didn't think to measure our home's doors, so I didn't realize that the couch would be nearly impossible to squeeze into our house.  Phillip and I somehow managed it to get it into the living room, but seriously, who makes a couch that won't fit through a standard door???

Welcoming Todd Home

On most weekdays, Todd is the last little Hendrickson to get home from school.  I usually walk out to meet him at the bus stop, but sometimes his sweet sister Anna runs out to meet him.

The sight of them walking up the driveway hand in hand is pretty cute.

This sight, not so cute.  Oh well.

Drums and Dancers at the Interfaith Concert

I attended an interfaith concert at our church building this afternoon.  In addition to our ward choir singing familiar hymns, I got to hear . . .

. . . Native Americans chanting a healing song . . .

. . . a Jewish woman leading us all in a gathering song . . .

. . . and a Christian choir with bell ringers.  I wish my pictures of the Hindu dancers had turned out--their worshipful yet playful dance was a unique treat.  In fact, the whole event was an inspiring reminder that people across cultures and faiths want to draw nearer to God and create more peace in this world.

Hangin' at Kimball

Joy invited a friend from school . . . 

. . . to hang out with her at Kimball Farms this afternoon.  They savored some of the famous Kimball Farms ice cream . . .

. . . then went for a ride on the bumper boats.  I'm not sure whether Joy invited me along because she was nervous, because she loves having me around, or because she hoped I'd pay for half the bumper boat ride (which I agreed to do).

Whatever the reason, I enjoyed watching my daughter (with her perpetually untied shoelaces) have a fun time with her friend.

Attending a Concert a Few Years Late

Several years ago, I planned a romantic getaway to see a live performance by The Piano Guys.  At the last minute, something came up at Phillip's work, and we missed the concert.  We threw together a staycation as a fun Plan B, but Phillip has always felt a bit bad that his work conflict ruined my plan.

For our anniversary this year, he bought tickets for us to finally see The Piano Guys in Providence, RI.  Ironically, a work assignment threatened to derail our plans again, but Phillip was determined not to let that happen.  He left a conference early, and drove all the way back from New York this morning so we could attend the performance.  Thank you, Sweetheart.

It was delightful to hear John and Steve perform live.  We've been listening to their music and enjoying their videos for so long that they almost feel like family members (who have no clue who we are).  My favorite part of the concert was watching John get up from his piano bench and dance for a minute or two.  Would you have the guts to dance in front of hundreds of strangers who paid to see you do something else?  I probably wouldn't, but you could tell John was having a blast, and that's what made it so fun.

Outdoor Dining and a Utilikilt

This Saturday . . .

. . . we did our chores . . .

. . . then visited a little festival in town.  We ate some popcorn, Anna got her face painted . . .

. . . and we met a guy wearing this cool "utilikilt."  It's made of super-sturdy material, and has straps strong enough to hold a hammer or drill.  It was fun to see an uber-practical, modern twist on this ancient garment, but as my brother Andrew put it, I can't imagine wearing one to a construction site unless I was about 6' 7".

This evening, we decided to utilize some features of our new home that we were really excited about, but haven't gotten around to using yet.  Phillip fired up the grill to cook burgers . . . 

. . . then we enjoyed a nice meal in the screened patio.  It was a lovely way to enjoy the pleasant sounds and cool breezes of our waning summer without worrying that mosquitoes would crash our little party.

An Abundance of Hooks

Everyone has a quirky fascination with something or other.  Our house's prior owners were obsessed with . . .

. . . hooks.  You can find multiple hooks in nearly every room of our home.  I once walked through it room by room and counted every hook and peg I could find.  I spotted seventy-five, and we keep finding more.  I can't imagine what they hung on all of those hooks . . .

. . . but we've found a good use for the four by the front door.

First Day of School, Part 2

My baby started kindergarten today!  As I watched Todd ride away on the school bus this morning, I practically felt like an empty nester.

I know that sending your youngest child off to school can be bittersweet for some people, but for our family of geeky homebodies, I feel like it's a win for everyone.  The kids get to go somewhere intellectually and socially stimulating, and I get big blocks of quiet time that are good for my soul.  As an introvert, I find it easier to really engage with my kids when I'm around them for part of the day instead of all of it.  Sure enough, Todd and I both had a great day.

The First Day of School (Unless You're Todd)

Today is our kids' first day of school (except for Todd, who starts tomorrow).

The three younger kids will ride the bus, but Joy has asked to be dropped off and picked up because she doesn't like hearing all the profanity from other middle schoolers and high schoolers on the bus.  While I sometimes miss the convenience of having her ride the bus, I respect Joy's desire to fill her life with uplifting experiences.  The drive home also gives us a nice opportunity to talk one on one about her day.

Daniel and Anna are attending the same school this year.  Anna looks ready to take on the world.  Daniel . . . looks tickled that he gets to spend his first day of school in his pajamas.  I got home from dropping Joy off just in time to walk the middle kids to their bus stop, and I was dismayed to realize that Daniel hadn't gotten dressed yet (we're still working out the details of our new school morning routine).  Oh well--at least his pajama top is a normal shirt.

A Taste of Kindergarten

School begins this week, and Todd will be starting kindergarten!

Last week we visited his new school so he could meet his teacher, tour his classroom . . .

. . . and go for a short ride on the school bus.  It was a nice way to give the kids a little taste of kindergarten, so things won't feel so new and overwhelming on their first day of school.