Patterns and symbols

This morning as I was doing last night's dinner dishes, I was reminded of a memory from years ago. I don't remember how old McKay was at the time, but I do remember that he was pretty little. My sister was visiting at my house and she asked McKay where I keep our cups. (I think it was cups.) McKay's reply was very indicative of how our household runs. He told her that we keep them in the dishwasher. My sister thought this was hilarious and as I remembered it this morning I do admit that I laughed out loud. McKay's words mirrored exactly what happens in our house. He understood that most if not all of the dishes in our house are either dirty, or clean in the dishwasher not put away. I do not fully utilize the storage space that our kitchen cupboards offer, so why do I have them?

As I write this, I am having an epiphany. This is a pattern in my life that I want to change. I want to create a new pattern. I want my home to be beautiful and inviting. I want the Lord's spirit to feel comfortable dwelling here in my home. I realize now that I only clean my house when it is dirty, as opposed to keeping my home clean. There is a difference. I think of the temple. (The temple is a place of great symbolic importance in my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.) It is beautiful, inviting, clean, and everything in it has a purpose. The purpose of my kitchen cupboards is to store my clean dishes. The purpose of my dishwasher is to clean my dirty dishes. The purpose of my sink and counter is to prepare food or as a work space. It is not a storage compartment for dirty dishes. I could go on and on, but you and I get the point.

Now, a plug for math. Math is all about patterns and symbols. I didn't get it in my younger years. Math teaches me how to recognize patterns and symbols in my life. That makes all the difference to me. After all these years, I finally get the significance and purpose for math. Now to inspire my children. That will be the fun part.

Elena the play-write

I wanted to post Elena's first play that she wrote. I typed it up for her and we used it in Reader's Theater class today. It was a hit! The only thing that I changed is a few misspelled words, everything else is original. I thought it was so funny how entertained the kids were by this extremely random play. Alexia and her friend came home from school today and started writing their own plays. I am so glad that it turned out to be inspiring. I told the kids in the class that if they wrote a script, I would type it up for them and we could read it as a class. I think it would be awesome if some of the kids take me up on it. Enjoy the 9 year old innocence and humor.

The Birthday Girl

by: Elena Olson

characters: Katey (the birthday girl), Mom, sister, two babies, a set of twins,

teacher, prince, 2 maids, 7 dwarfs.

MOM: Oh my! Katey's birthday is today! We haven't bought her presents yet!

SISTER: Yes. We haven't. What will we do?

MOM: I don't know.

SISTER: We could go to the store.

MOM: Yes, let's go to the store.

(Meanwhile at the store)

SISTER: What will we do with the babies?

MOM: Let them pick a toy for Katey, while Katey is at school. Okay babies, pick a toy!

BABIES: Okay, Mommy!

SISTER: Can I pick a toy?

MOM: Yes, you can.

BABY 1: Okay baby sister, mommy said to pick a toy.

BABY 2: Okay.

SISTER: What about the twins?

MOM: They can pick a toy too.

TWINS: Okay.

TWIN 1: Okay twin (looks at his twin) Mommy said to pick a toy.

TWIN 2: Okay

(Later at school)

KATEY: Today is my birthday!

TEACHER: Great! Now let's get back to the lesson.

(Later at the house)

MOM: Now we have the presents. We have to make the cake now. Let's get to work.

(Later at school)

KATEY: I can't wait to get home!

TEACHER: Katey, stop talking.

KATEY: Okay. I just can't wait to get home.

(Later at the castle)

PRINCE: I am bored. I want to do something fun.

MAID 1: Why don't you go outside, Your Highness.

PRINCE: I don't want to do that.

MAID 2: Why don't you want to, Your Highness?

PRINCE: Because I just did that and stop calling me Your Highness.

MAID 1 and 2: Okay, Your Majesty.

PRINCE: AAARRGH!

(Later at school)

TEACHER: Recess all you kids!

KATEY: YEEAAH!!!!

(Later in a small cottage.)

7 DWARFS: home, home we're going home, sleep, sleep we're off to sleep. Dream, dream we're going to dream.

DWARF #6: I can't wait to go to sleep!

DWARF #1: Me too.

DWARF # 2: Me three.

DWARF # 3: Me four.

DWARF # 4: me five.

DWARF # 5: me six.

DWARF # 7: me seven.

DWARF # 1: Now we all want to go home and go to sleep. Now let's go home.

(Later at the house)

SISTER: She'll love this cake.

BABIES: Yes, she'll love it!

MOM: Oh my, it's 3 o'clock. Katey will be home soon. Hurry! We need to get this place ready. Hurry!

(10 minutes later)

KATEY: I'm home! (yelling) Is someone here?

ALL FAMILY: Happy birthday Katey!

KATEY: Oh my! You scared me. I didn't know you were here.

ALL FAMILY: Happy birthday Katey!

KATEY: Thanks, you guys.

MOM: You're welcome. Let's go outside.

Katey: Okay.

(Later in the castle)

PRINCE: I know what I'll do! I'll go play in the forest!

MAID 1: Okay.

(Later in the forest, the birthday girl and her family are having a picnic.)

KATEY: This is the best party I've ever had in my entire life. Thanks!

ALL FAMILY: You're welcome.

(Meanwhile)

PRINCE: I wonder where the maids are. I guess I am lost. I wonder where I am. Do I hear music? Maybe I should follow the music. I think I should. I will just follow it.

(The prince walked and walked until he found where the music was. He found a small cottage. He opened the door and he found 7 dwarfs.)

PRINCE: Hi.

DWARFS: Hi.

PRINCE: I should be going now. Bye.

DWARFS: Bye bye.

(Later, on the other side of the forest)

KATEY: Where am I? I was playing hide and seek, and I came here, and now I don't know where I am.

PRINCE: (Who just came in the scene) Neither do I . Who are you?

KATEY: I am Katey, and who are you?

PRINCE: I ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Henrey.

KATEY: Okay Henry, where is Payson?

PRINCE. I don't know. Where is Salem?

KATEY: Do you think we could be in between?

PRINCE: I don't know. We could be.

KATEY: If we are in between, we could go to Salem or Payson. We just have to pick a way to go, and we are in one of them.

PRINCE: Yeah. You are right.

(Later the maid's woke to see that the prince is gone, at the same time, Katey's family was looking for her and couldn't find her.)

SISTER: We'll never find her.

MOM: Don't say that. We'll find her. I hope.

( Meanwhile the maids were looking for the prince when they met Katey's family. They said, “Have you seen the prince?” The family said, “No, but have you seen a girl?” The maids said, “We can help you find her if you help us find the prince.” The family said, “Yes, let's go.”)

KATEY: I think I hear music. Let's go see what it is.

PRINCE: I already know what it is. It is 7 dwarfs playing music.

KATEY: Cool!!!! Let's go!!!

PRINCE: okay. Let's go.

( They ran and ran till they got to the cottage.)

KATEY: Hi! I love the song you're playing!!!!!!! Can I sing? I know the words!!!

DWARF #1: Yes you can. We haven't had a singer in a long time, so sing!

(and so she sang a pretty song, her family heard her and ran as fast as they could, they got to the cottage and opened the door.)

MOM: Katey! We have been looking for you for a long time and we found you!

KATEY: MOM!!!

SISTER and BABIES: Katey!!!!

KATEY: Sister! Babies! Where are the twins?

MOM: They went home crying.

KATEY: Oh.

MAIDS: Prince Henry, you are in big trouble.

PRINCE: You can't punish me. I'm a prince.

MAID 1: Your dad the King can!

KATEY: You're a prince? This is the weirdest birthday ever.

PRINCE: It's your birthday? How old are you turning?

KATEY: eleven.

PRINCE: Wow! But, I am twelve, so ha ha.

MOM: Come on. Let's go home.

KATEY: Okay.

THE END.