Pam Gets Domestic...

Hooray! I am officially a blogger now! I have been saying for months now that I would start a blog. On Saturday night, I couldn't fall asleep, so I thought, "I'll finally start my blog." So, here it is.

I should start off by saying what a strange day it's been. I was feeling very domestic today. It's been a long time since I've felt that way. I got home from school today at 1:00 and decided I wanted to do something nice for my family. That something nice turned into two loaves of homemade bread, chicken noodle soup (from scratch, I might add), and brownies. Then I made a Family Home Evening lesson, and we sat down as a family and enjoyed all of these things. I am not sure what brought all of this on, but I kind of liked it. Before I went back to school, I was always cooking and cleaning and doing all kinds of domestic things. I forgot that there were some things about staying at home that I actually enjoyed. Maybe Heavenly Father was trying to reming me that, before everything else is family. Although my intention in going back to school has always been for the betterment of my family, I have to admit that it does bring out my selfish side. I get so caught up in school, that it tends to become the priority. And while it is important to do well in school, my primary purpose in being there is doing what's best for my family. I guess my whole domestic outburst today was just to remind me that sometimes I have to put aside the schoolwork and focus a little more attention on my husband and my kids.

And speaking of focusing attention on my kids, I have to mention that Joseph has become a fabulous artist. I am so amazed by his drawings. I'll spot him in a corner with his crayon and his notebook, and when I ask to see what he's drawn, it's always better than the day before. The subjects continue to become more recognizable each day, and as he practices drawing the same things over and over again, I notice that each time they become more detailed. I wonder what will become of this. My sister Stephanie had notebooks full of drawings like this when she was his age, and for anyone who knows her, we can only hope that he turns out to be half the artist that she is. Almost daily I go into Joseph's room and find new drawings on his walls. I've given up being upset over the crayon on the walls. I can always paint over it. But I don't want to stop what he is doing. His creativity is fascinating. In all the years I have been drawing, and with all of the talent that I possess, I felt that I have never been able to truly create. Sure, I can draw what I see, but I have never been able to just imagine something and then turn it into a drawing or a painting. If Joseph has that ability, I don't want to stop him. I know this might sound a little ridiculous; I am talking about a four-year-old. But if you could only see what my sister was doing when she was four, and then see what she does now, you would understand.

Shovel and Pail from Blue's Clues

Blue's Clues Thinking Chair




















Another Thinking Chair, complete with the "yo-yos," as my kids call them




















A self-portait












Steve from Blue's Clues (notice the striped shirt)

I think that this is supposed to be Joseph and Andrew. I love the facial expression of the person on the right!

Joseph ringing the doorball and opening the door. It says "open" on the door. Haha!

Riding in the shopping cart at Walmart.