The Theology of Weston

" Joseph was sold to The 'Potamus as a slave."


"When Joseph was in prison, he met The Cup Man."


"Moses helped the Satellites escape from Egypt."


"Dear Lord, please give us a microscope!" 

CC Field Trip--National Fish Hatchery

Looking for birds

Do you see what I see?

Overlook Trail

Inks Lake Dam

Hatchery ponds

Taking a break

Fishy fishy

Run, fishies, run!

Don't get caught by the fisherman!

picnic time

300 Twisted Oak

As of today, Jeff and I are the proud owners of a beautiful 10-acre piece of paradise between Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay! We are so very excited about this purchase and look forward to seeing what will become of it. We hope you will join us during the course of this new adventure, and we hope you will make plans now to come visit us soon!

We can gather wildflowers...

...climb trees

...play longhorns

...and take in the view.

Chopped

It's no secret that the Watts like food. We love to cook it, eat it and watch shows about it. Lately, one of our Food Network favorites has been Chopped. The premise of the show is that the chefs come in not knowing what the ingredients are until the competition begins. They open their baskets to find the, sometimes-surprising, required 3-4 ingredients, and then have 20-30 minutes to prepare and plate, depending on the course. Ruth particularly loves this show and wanted to challenge her dad to a Chopped-like competition. I chose the required ingredients, based on what we had on hand and what we had enough of to divide between the baskets. Neither Ruth nor Jeff knew what I was putting in the baskets ahead of time. On the actual show, they prepare an appetizer course, a main course and a dessert. We decided to just do a main course, and we decided to allow 40 minutes instead of 30. The required ingredients were jalapeño-cheese venison summer sausage, rice, sweet potatoes and lentils. It was a great competition, and both chefs held their own. Ruth did pretty much everything herself--from chopping to cooking to plating. I only assisted her once or twice in moving hot pans off the stove. Ruth ended up preparing a very tasty soup with the sweet potato, rice and lentils. She also fried some rice with some of the sweet potato, and she pan fried the sausage and then made it into a little open faced sandwich topped with BBQ sauce. I was pretty amazed at her ability to put the ingredients together in such a tasty and interesting way. Jeff made onion rice over a mornay sauce, topped with the sausage, along with a sweet potato/lentil hash. We all had such a good time, and I'm sure this will not be our last Chopped competition.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Ruth spent the week studying about Japan in History, so we ended the week with a Japanese Tea Ceremony. Though our book claimed that this would be a light meal, it turned out to be an eight-course feast that went like this: salad and white rice, chicken broth with mushrooms, grilled fish, hot water with lemon slices, a dish representing mountains and the sea (pretzel crackers and blueberry cream cheese), pickles and white rice, sweets representing the season (fall-colored Nila Wafers), black tea, and green tea. It was fun to make and fun to eat. And Ruth had a blast playing hostess!

So, how do you really feel?

Yesterday, towards the end of the day, when emotions sometimes run high, Weston kind of lost control of himself, and in a rare fit of anger and rebellion, threw a box of crayons across the room. You can imagine that this did not go over well with the maternal figure, and after appropriate action was taken on her part, this young lad was sent to sit on his bed to cool off. When the calm finally started to settle in (after the stomping and screaming and crying), this child was overheard singing his frustration over and over again: "I'm so angry, so very angry. I've got the angry down in my heart." I literally had to step outside so as not to let him hear me laugh.

Later, when I went up to talk to Weston about his behavior, I asked him if he knew why he was in trouble. He rightly said it was because of his rebellion and because of disobeying. I then asked him if he could tell me the verse he has been memorizing in CC. Without hesitating, he started: "Children, obey your..." Then he scrunched up his face, and continued without gusto: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother..." He was so clearly disgusted to have been "caught," that I once again found myself trying not to laugh.

An otherwise lovely weekend

We had a wonderful weekend, really, but there were a few things that made it less than perfect. Included among those were the following:

• a wee one with a MAJOR tummy bug
• a young boy with a busted, bloody nose
• a driver running her SUV into my van in a parking lot and leaving it with a huge dent and a nice little scratch--and then commenting (upon the revelation that she was also moving here from Kingwood) that "we were meant to bump into each other."
• six small handfuls of teeny, tiny cactus prickles

On the positive side, though, we also got to do the following:

• visit with my parents and grandparents
• eat yummy BBQ
• play at the park
• look at quite a lot of toy catalogs  
• visit with Jeff's parents
• eat yummy Mexican food
• enjoy cool breezes and a hint of fall-like weather
• buy supplies for upcoming science experiments and history projects
• hang out at "our" land, making measurements for our future house
• jump on the trampoline
• throw around the football

Finishing the 10 poster

Weston has been working for a while on completing ten books for his reading poster, and today was the day! He chose to go bowling for his reward, so we got to check out the local bowling alley. It was perfect, and we all had a blast! We are so proud of of our big reader!

Getting to Know Marble Falls

We spent a good portion of the day getting to know our soon-to-be new hometown. First, we tromped around on the land we are trying to buy. Jeff and I tried to walk off where the house will sit, while the kids roamed freely on the 10 acres, full of joy and adventure. The next stop was Sonic. Of course. Then, we made our way over to the Marble Falls Market Day, where vendors were set up all along Main Street, with wares of every kind for sale. At the end of Main Street we ran into the library, where we spent more than half an hour, checking out books, reading and putting puzzles together. I cut out a little early, so I could snap some photos along Main Street, and then we all met up for lunch at a lovely little deli, which we will definitely visit again! After lunch, we headed over to Home Depot for a few supplies and a lot of research. Finally, we stopped at the awesome HEB, before heading back to the casa for naps. It was such a fun day and so exciting to start to familiarize ourselves with our new surroundings!

Kid of the Week

Weston was awarded "Kid of the Week" at CC today. He is one of the youngest students on our CC campus who is in an actual class (as opposed to a nursery class). He really impressed his teacher and the director by going to class all on his own (since I was on nursery duty and wasn't able to attend with him, as would normally be the case) and participating in every activity, including a presentation in front of the class. I was able to attend class with him today and was impressed myself with his level of involvement and the way he isn't intimidated being in a class of all older kids (some as old as 7). We ran into his afternoon activity coordinator at the grocery store this afternoon, and she bragged about his behavior during that portion of the day, adding that she wasn't surprised he was given this award and that she truly felt he deserved it. This honor is such a compliment and such a testament of the big boy Weston has become. We are so proud of him!

Labor Day Weekend 2010

Moving Day

Today was moving day. No, we haven't sold our house in Kingwood. But, we were anxious to step into this new phase of our life, and we wanted to be involved with the local CC group from the beginning. And, my in-laws graciously offered us the use of their currently unoccupied house. We spent almost the entire weekend packing up all the last-minute stuff (of which, there was quite a lot) and loading it in the two vehicles. Then, we hired a cleaning company to come in today (after the boys and I left!), so we could leave the house sparkling. It was a long day of loading and driving and unloading (with a doctor's appointment, some crazy hard rain and a visit with a good friend thrown in there, too!), but we made it, and we're glad to be here. Now, excuse us while we hit the hay.

Anniversary Adventure

Jeff and I had our 12th anniversary last Sunday. But, I had a meeting, and we were traveling back from Lake Buchanan, so we really didn't celebrate then. (Because I DO NOT count eating a cold chicken sandwich from Dairy Queen, in the truck, hours after Jeff and the kids ate there, a celebration). So, we celebrated last night. It was my year to plan our outing, so I picked some place really special: Churrasco's. This is the place Jeff and I ate on the night we got engaged!

So, the sitter arrived and Jeff and I headed downtown. We ran into a traffic situation, but we were still able to arrive at the restaurant in time for our reservation. We sat in a cozy little booth and enjoyed an appetizer and some lovely conversation. Then, our main courses arrived, and I had just taken about three bites, when I noticed some movement over my right shoulder. Turning my head to get a better look, I found a two-inch long water bug running very quickly along the back of the booth straight toward me! Now these bugs (along with their evil cockroach relatives) are absolutely the thing that make me cringe the most. I. Can. Not. Stand. Them. I hopped up out of my seat like greased lightening and all but ran right out the front door of the restaurant, fighting the urge to surrender my appetizer to my napkin. Meanwhile, Jeff calls the waiter over to have him "take care of the situation."  He is appropriately mortified, and deals with the bug. Eventually, I re-enter the restaurant, but cannot sit in my spot and can barely choke down my dinner. Shortly thereafter, the manager appeared, apologizing profusely and offering to comp our meal. We left without dessert and will not likely ever return.

So, feeling that our date had been cut a little short, we headed over to Central Market for dessert. We purchased goodies from the bakery and then went over to the little coffee bar to round out the treat. I like coffee more than I used to, but it's pretty rare that I order it out. It's usually too strong for me. Plus, I really like Chai lattes, so I usually order one of those, which I did last night. When the drinks were ready, we found a table and began another lovely conversation about our new house. I took a big sip of my Chai and could hardly keep from spitting it out. It tasted just like coffee! Jeff tasted it, too, and agreed. So, he took it back, thinking the guy had only heard the "latte" part of the order, but was quickly assured that "all the Chai lattes come with a shot of espresso." So, Jeff ordered again: "A chai latte, without the espresso." This one came out a little less than lukewarm. By then, we were just tired of messing with it, so I drank it as it was, and we called it a night.

But despite all the craziness, we still had a wonderful anniversary! I'm so thankful that I get to be married to my very best friend, and I love how the years just keep getting more fun! We are filing this date night in our "adventure" file and will be laughing about it for years, no doubt--once I stop having nightmares about that bug!

A Bedtime Story

Our house. Friday night.

Mom and Dad put kids to bed, and Mom heads to the store for milk. Mom returns, and the minute she walks in the door, she hears Kid #2 (who is, ironically, out of bed) yelling, "Mom, Max is out of his bed!" Mom runs upstairs to put everyone back where they belong and finds Kid #3 sitting on the landing in his flotation suit. Mom stifles a smile, herds the wee one back to his bed and tells him he needs to take the suit off. Kid #3 starts crying and begging to wear the suit to bed. Mom throws up her hands and says, "Fine." (She has learned to pick her battles and this one just isn't worth it).

Mom and Dad sit down to watch a movie and shortly hear all manner of thumping and bumping coming from upstairs. Dad takes a turn and comes back reporting that it was the boys wrestling on the floor--Kid #3 still wearing his suit.

A few minutes later, there is more unauthorized noise upstairs, and Mom goes up to find Kid #3 lying on the landing, kicking the stair rails, without his suit on.

Finally, everyone is back in bed and, eventually, sleeping soundly.

She writes like a champion

Dreams

Sometimes I dream of cheetahs

Galloping after a gazelle.

I also dream that I'm riding a horse

Fast across the sand.

There are even times when dreams are scary,

And I wish they would leave me alone.

Sometimes dreams rock like a baby's cradle,

And that makes me happy.

Sometimes, my dreams are lonely or sad. 

There are times when dreams remind me of trees or giraffes

That are so, so high.

Sometimes, they remind me of the beach, 

With rolling waves, soft sand, pleasant sun and seagulls soaring overhead.

I don't know what dreams are to you, 

But I hope they make you happy.

Ruth's assignment for Writing Class today was to brainstorm words and phrases that come to mind upon hearing the word "dream," and then to write a poem using some items off her list. She wrote the above poem, which I think is beautiful. But, since we haven't worked much on the pre-writing process, and because she is my daughter, she actually used the brainstorming time to write another poem, which is at least as good as the final draft (in the humble opinion of the mom/writing teacher). It's no wonder the girl has the state champion title for creative writing!

Dreams (Pre-Writing Exercise)

Sometimes, dreams remind me of cheetahs,

Other times turtles.

On other occasions, they remind me of giraffes,

Looming up, up, up.

Sometimes, they're black, blue, green, even red!

There are times when they rock. 

There are days when they are happy, sad, lonely or mad.

Sometimes, I wish dreams would leave me alone. 

There are times when I dream that I am riding a horse,

Fast as the wind.

Sometimes they are scary.

They remind me of the beach.

Dear Potential Home Buyer (whoever you may be):

I really want my house to be nice for you. I want you to walk in and be completely wowed. And, goodness knows, I am trying to make it so. But the thing is, the small people who currently live in this house have made it their mission to destroy this place bit by bit--and to chip away at my sanity while they are at it. From the moment we put the sign in the yard, it seems they have ramped up their destructive forces, and I'm afraid that I will be overwhelmed by them completely in the very near future. I'm not really sure how many surfaces remain to be colored upon or how much elbow grease I have left. But, I believe you can save this house from total destruction. You can give it new life--or if you have small people of your own, perhaps step into the demolition zone without flinching. So, if you could just hurry up your decision-making process a little and buy this house, that'd be great. Also, we will become very serious about building a new house before too long, and it would be nice to hand this one off to you before that time. All that to say, we are ready when you are, and the sooner the better!

Most Sincerely,
Mandi Watts

Can I call you back in about 16 years?

I cannot even begin to tell you how many hours I spent talking on the phone when I was in high school. And don't even get me started on my home-sick, long-distance-relationship college years. All I know is that it was a lot, and it was fun.

These days it is anything but pleasurable. If I have to talk on the phone, I sort of seize up on the inside, knowing that a whole other level of chaos will ensue around me. (And that's saying something)! I have not found the magic button on the phone (or I would certainly disable it!) that magnetically pulls my children to me as soon as the phone touches my ear, but I know it exists. And I know that every phone has one. The kids can be playing happily in the furthest reaches of the house or even outside--unaware of my very existence--and they will come running (and screaming!) the moment I put the phone to my ear. It happens, without fail. Every. Single. Time. When I'm on the phone, all manor of emergencies break out, food is stolen from the pantry, a million messes are made, there is bleeding and crying and top-of-the-lungs talking, and people needing me NOW!--all taking place, literally, under my feet. And I cannot escape it. These kids are pros, and they will hunt me down, with all their chaos, if I try to hide in my closet or out on the back porch. And this is why I am certain that anyone I have talked to on the phone in the last eight years thinks I am a complete idiot. I cannot form words or coherent sentences. I cannot ask questions, and I certainly can't answer them. All I can think is that I need this phone conversation to end, so I can kill corral the children. But the minute I hang up, the questions start: "Who was that?" "What did she want?" "Why were you talking to him?" Etc. Etc. And then, they all disappear again, back to the happy place they were before I picked up the phone.

So, if you are wondering why I don't call more often (or at all!) or why I haven't returned your call, you now have your answer.  It's not because I don't love you or because I don't value our relationship; it's just that my sanity is precious, and I can't afford to whittle it away with frivolous phone calls. But, I promise, I do want to talk to you and I will get back to you...probably in about 16 years. In the meantime, send me an e-mail or an FB message or comment on my blog. The chaos can't touch cyberspace...yet.

Weston Scissor Hands

Dear Weston,

You made it through this day alive, and so you have much to be thankful for. For some reason, which I cannot begin to comprehend, you have become obsessed with cutting things. Last week, you got up from your "nap" with huge holes in your shorts and shirt. We had a serious talk about cutting at that time, and discipline followed, but you cannot seem to stop yourself. And, I'll be honest with you, today almost put me over the edge.  In a quiet moment, you found a stray pair of scissors (which I admit, I left out while packing boxes, though even when I think all scissors are accounted for and in a safe place, you still manage to find them) and went to work. You cut your shorts, your hair, the basketball net, a library book, one of Ruth's socks, one of Max's socks, a handmade baby blanket Ruth uses for her dolls, a cardboard block, a beaded necklace, and I'm not even sure what else. In a way, it's sort of impressive that you can bring so much destruction using kid scissors that will hardly cut a piece of paper. I don't think you truly mean to be destructive. I think you just want to know what happens if you cut this...and this, and this. So, I'll explain it to you: things get holey! And it drives your poor mom crazy! So, could you please STOP IT?! Thanks.

I love you no matter what,
Mom

3rd and K

Today was the first day of school for Watts Homeschool, and we were all super-excited! This is our first year to have two different grades. Our veteran is starting 3rd grade and will be studying the following subjects: Math, Spelling, Writing, History (Early Modern Times), Science (Chemistry), Latin, Grammar, and Music (Piano).

History reading

Science Experiment

Our newcomer is starting Kindergarten and will have only Math, Writing and Reading on his schedule, with an art class thrown in from time to time just for fun.

Working on "A"

Reading is fun!

We are so looking forward to this school year and hope you will stick around for our journey.

"Orange" You Glad

Our (extended) family is in charge of one of the cook sheds at the camp we go to every year in the Davis Mountains. And, every year we divide up the food that's left over and bring it home. Even divided up, it's an obscene amount of food, so then we have to figure out what to do with all of it. It's like having Iron Chef's "secret ingredient" (or in this case, several secret ingredients). Some of the large quantity items we brought home this year included two 5 lb. containers of cottage cheese, one 5 lb. container of sour cream, more than 2 dozen biscuits, almost two dozen oranges, 3 large watermelons, maybe 20 cantaloupes, 10 lbs. of carrots, 4 lbs. of celery, a half gallon of ranch dressing, around 40 lemons, a dozen or more apples, about 60 limes, at least 25 lbs. of onions and a roast that looks more like a side of beef. Earlier in the week, I dove into the cottage cheese and came out with a Jell-o salad and a lasagna. Jeff has also been eating it every day for breakfast, so now we are down to just one container. I also used some of the apples in my Chai Apple Cake, though there are still half a dozen left. Today's secret ingredient was oranges. So far, I have made Chocolate-Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies, Orange Ginger Carrot Soup, Orange Honey Muffins, and Mexican Orange Thins. I think there is just enough zest and juice left for one more dish. It might be an Orange Pound Cake, but I really haven't decided yet. I might want to go the savory route instead. My freezer is full of the baked goods, and the soup is on the menu for dinner. If you like orange-flavored things, you should plan to stop by sometime. If you prefer some of the other citrus fruits, you may want to check back in a few days.