7/26/2011

What Do I Do With My Ten-Year-Old Son?


DOWN HOME with Granny B
Dear Granny B:
I need some insight into the heart and mind of the 10 year old boy. Certainly they are not all the same, but in general.... what do I need to know? I feel like my sweet and happy child is growing up, and sometimes he sounds more snarky and unhappy than I can stand. He is a good boy, and I love him so much- but I am so frustrated because I feel like his 6 and 8 year old siblings are more content, competent and capable than he is- but he has certainly been the recipient of as much time, love and training. We have made a special effort to do things as parents just with him, but it seems like the more we do just with him the more unkind and impatient he is with his siblings. We have loved him and helped him in every way we know how. We have sent countless prayers to heaven for him. Please help me understand him better.
A Concerned mother

Dear Concerned mother,
It is obvious that you are a dedicated and loving mother - thus your concern.
My first piece of advice is this . . . no one really has the whole answer for you - yep that means even me.
Even though you don't realize it, you have more insight into your son than you know because you love him. 
The truth is: the only real expert is God so keep consulting that source. 
Another great resource is other mothers  . . . especially those with  large families.  Pick their brains for ideas and even more importantly for perspective.  For example:  they might tell you that their obnoxious, snarky, unhappy ten-year-old son grew up to be a competent and happy adult.  They might tell you that all children go through times when they are more than difficult to live with and this is just the beginning of the roller-coaster ride that is coming. So hold on tight and don't base your self-worth on your child's decisions.  The only person you can control is . . . you.  You only control how YOU turn out.    
If this is new behavior for your son, you might want to analyze how much he has on his plate.  Is he stressed out or bored because he has too much to do or not enough? Young boys have so much energy.  They need to work off some of that energy through chores, yard work, sports or family promoted exercise programs.  But also make sure he is not over-scheduled.  Most boys love the out-doors.  Make it a family priority to get out into nature as much as possible. 
Also . . . most likely, hormones are starting.
So hang in there.  You're doing better than you think you are and so is your son. 
love,
Granny B     




7/21/2011

Backyard Photos by my son John

The beauty of summer right in my own back yard.

7/18/2011

Grandmahood is a hoot




Grandma hood is a hoot.  I love making home-made whole wheat bread and raspberry jam from my own raspberry patch.  I enjoy making quilts and booties for my grandchildren.  But the greatest joy is babies everywhere to hug and hold and love! (and I don't even have to be pregnant for nine months to get one..) 

7/17/2011

My Home in the Rocky Mountains


I love my home
nestled in a quiet valley
at the base of the Rocky Mountains. 
Always my grand snow- capped guardians
are there -
towering above me - 
offering me a sense of wonder and protection. 

My family spends most of our free time exploring 
the mountains near our home.  
This weekend we hiked on Loafer Mountain
then took our four-wheelers to the top of Tower Mountain.         

Hiking in the Rocky Mountains near my home in Utah.





When I see blue sky I know the summit is near.




I'm always tempted to stop before I reach the top - yet always rewarded when I don't give up until I reach the summit. 





There is majestic beauty in the grand panoramic view at the summit - and in a simple leaf on stone.



While four-wheeling on Tower Mountain I met a bear.  Good thing he seemed as scared of me as I was of him.

7/16/2011

More Photos of Samoa



I love sharing these beautiful images captured by my daughter Annie.
My daughter Arianne and her husband Jared and four children are spending several months in Samoa. Because Arianne's father spent two years in Samoa as a Mormon missionary these pictures are an extra delight for us. . .

Sammy discovering the island treasures
The beautiful island of American Samoa.
Arianne with baby Liam, daughter Sophia and sons Sammy and Logan

7/14/2011

Life is a Circle

There is no green like the green on a tropical island.
Arianne's view from her hotel window
The port in American Samoa is brimming with ships.
Arianne's first sunrise in Samoa.
One of the interesting things about life is that if you live long enough everything seems to come full circle . . . all the seemingly random things that happen to us seem to foreshadow events in the future that we can not yet see or imagine.  But I have lived long enough to know that nothing happens outside God's grand design. 

As a college student I felt drawn to the Middle East and spent all my savings to go on a archaeological dig in Beersheba in the Negev Desert in Israel.  Years later my daughter Aubrey would become an archaeologist and work in the Middle East. 

When he was nineteen years old my husband Ross spent two years in Samoa as a Mormon missionary.  Just this week my daughter Arianne arrived in Samoa with her husband and four young children.  They will be there for four months while her husband is the engineer on a massive land slide rebuilding operation.

If there are no random events, if even one sparrow's fall does not escape God's notice - perhaps we might learn to see all the events in our lives as generous gifts from a loving Father in Heaven who knows best how to tutor and love us.   

7/05/2011

Baadsgaard Family Reunion 2011


We had a family reunion over the July 4th weekend with all of our ten children,their spouses and 20 grandchildren up at our cabin.   I am so blessed to have of these wonderful people in my life.