Summer of 2013, Part 1

This was a strange summer for us, for SURE.  It went by so fast, and almost the entire family got sick during the month of July. DUMB!  We WON'T be doing that EVER again.  Gee whiz!!  Here are some pictures from my phone of some things we did do this summer..........

 Sasha and Addie had a dance recital.....always a highlight of our summer.  (Addie HATED this costume.  It was so very itchy and was so tight, I had to alter it.  Poor kid.  But she does look super cute in it!)

 We played baseball or softball every single night for about 6 weeks.  It was a good season, and not so good season.  I don't know if the kids will play or if Will is going to coach next year.  That is all I want to say about it.  :(

 Beautiful Sasha had a wonderful piano recital and we were so proud of her.  Playing seems to come naturally to her.  She has a soft touch on the piano and is lovely to listen to! :) Seth and Addie started lessons this summer and they seem to enjoy it. :)

 We got this to play with at Bear Lake.  We planned on staying for at least 4 days, but Addie got sick and we ended up cutting our trip short.  Camping in a tent with 7 people is nuts and I am not sure we will do it EVER again.  (Me and my big ideas.  My family things I am crazy.)

 I made 24 of these tote bags for girls camp, which took place at the end of July.  It was an amazing experience.  It was huge undertaking and dominated by thoughts for months and months!  When I got back, I felt weird to NOT be thinking about it or making something for it!! I am so glad I got to go with Sasha, even though she got sick up there and didn't have the best time.  We stayed up so late!  We played games!  We ate junk!  We floated down the Portnef River!  We crafted! It was glorious!  I LOVE being with the YW and hope I can go to camp again!   It was so fun since the girls I had as Beehives are now Laurels, so this was their last girl's camp.  It was a blast!

 Noah spent his summer playing with the hose.....it was a long hot summer so he enjoyed himself immensely.  We learned to not get too close to him while he had the hose, or you'd get a little wet.  Ha ha!

 So very glad we have this pool.  Whoever wasn't sick, swam in the pool!  Having a pool has always given us something to do, right in our own backyard!  This pool finally bit the dust; it had several holes and was leaking big time.  SO, we found a BIGGER one on clearance and filled that bad boy UP right away.  I think I swam nearly every day.  Which is probably why my hair is fried from the chemicals and sun.  It was worth it.

 The girls were in 2 parades!  It was a new experience for both of them and they loved it!!!  Addie rode the float, and Sasha danced with the older girls.  It. Was. Beyond. HOT!!  We were so proud of them for wanting to do it on the July 4th, after they were in the Syracuse parade and nearly melted from heat.  I have many fond memories of being in parades as a girl.  Nothing better that feeling the excitement of the crowd as you march past.  Ah, good times.

And lastly, here are Noah and Audrey at the park with me one day after the kids went back to school.  It has been nice to be able to focus on them during the day. Taking them to the park was something I could not do as a homeschooling mom.  Mornings were for school.  Naps in the afternoon.  Dinner and activities in the evening.  This picture makes me smile and although it has been a hard transition in some ways having the kids attend public school, I know it is right for our family. Anyway, goodbye Summer of 2013!  It was a party!

1 Week Down....

We made it through our first week of public school.

Sasha:

She loves it and is doing well.  She has gotten 100% on all her assignments so far and that makes us all so happy!  We had some technical difficulties with our computer last night as we tried to watch a power point lesson her math teacher had.  It was so frustrating.  BUT, we loaded up and went to the library and she was able to watch and listen to it and answer the 4 stinkin' questions.  Noah knocked over a fake tree while there and Audrey jumped on every couch in the place.  I needed back up but Will was with Seth at his martial arts class. Anyhow, so far Sasha loves it!  I knew she would!!

Seth:

Hates being timed on math facts.  Ya, he has never liked that. He gets so stressed.  He cried at school. I hugged him and loved him and prayed with him the next day before school.  He has had better days since then.  This is good for him to learn to handle his emotions.  Hard, but good for him.  He finally got in to a martial arts class taught by a member of our Stake Presidency. He's been on the waiting list for a year! HOW good it's been for him to go twice a week.  The 2nd day of school was rough for him and I was so glad he could go to his class that evening.  He broke a board on the first try and Will said he was so happy! None of the other kids did that on the first try. I think Seth will be like his Daddy and be a black belt too.


Addie:

LOVES school lunch and must read the menu over and over.  So funny!!  She loves all her friends and has a crush on a boy already.  And this said boy found out about her crush so Addie cried about it last night and today.  Good grief that girl. She has never been a fan of writing and gets mad that she has 2 pages of homework at night and has to "Waste 4 hours of the night doing homework!!".  Ya, she's emotional. And she exaggerates.

It has been a good week as I have spent time with my little ones playing at the park and just hanging out with them.  I have crafted with a friend for a Relief Society activity I am helping her with; something I could not do before. I helped organize a neighborhood park day and had such nice time chatting with other moms.  I have missed that so much.

My afternoons\evenings have been more busy that I am used to but I am adjusting.  Adding homework to the mix is something we have not had in our lives for 5 years.  Their are pros and cons to each situation.  Homeschool had wonderful things and not so wonderful things.  Same with public school.  No situation is 100% perfect.  We still feel good about our decision to send all the kids and I have been so touched by the love and support shown by our neighborhood.  An older boy in our neighborhood has gone out of his way to give Seth a high-five when he sees him at school.  A 6th grader saying "Hi" to a 4th grader.  Ya, makes me so happy.  After school yesterday Seth was coming to the car, stopped, ran back and said "Goodbye" to this boy. (Thank you, Sarah).  It was so cute.

So, we made it!  I know more time will be needed to adjust but we will be ok.  All is well.

A little bit of everything...

I haven't uploaded pictures for awhile. So, here's a little bit of everything.....

 Love this girl.  She is a joy to be around even if she loves to stay up until midnight and sleep in late. She is gonna DIE in the fall when school starts.

 SHE is SMILING at the camera.  She NEVER does that.  What a little stinker.

 A couple of watering cans from the dollar store will provide hours of fun for these two. The water spout is the place to be....MOVE OVER!!

 "Wook, Mom!!"....and then he picks another flower for me.  ***sigh***I hope my garden makes it this year........

 Audrey Anne, wearing Addie's old dress at Addie's baptism.....

 Getting ready to head to the church....such a very special day.......

It was a beautiful baptism.

Halfway Done....

Their season is about halfway done.  The first few games have been SO cold, and rainy, and windy.  Utah weather never ceases to surprise us.  We have had days where the sun was out and then suddenly, right before game time, yucky weather sets in. But,the kids have played through it all while those of us watching the game, hid under blankets and umbrellas.

Here are a few shots of our players this year:

This one makes me giggle.  What a pose.

So Very Sweet...

I get kinda spoiled during the month of May.  First it's Mother's Day and then within a week or so, it's my birthday.  LOVE that! Yes, May is a good month for me!

I must say that this Mother's Day and this birthday will be hard to forget.  It wasn't because of any particular gift that was given or anything like that.  I will explain............

Having my kids learn to love and serve has been important to me.  I look for opportunities for them to do these things.  Treats to their primary leaders on their birthdays or if they are sick. Notes to grandparents. Whatever I can think of.  I want them to see me serving.  "Hey wanna come with me to deliver this meal?". I want them to see me serving and loving with a happy heart, all with the hope that it will rub off on them and they will do the same.

Well, on Mother's Day this year, for the first time EVER, the kids all woke up early to make ME breakfast. They are NOT big fans of getting up early and Sunday mornings are often a little grouchy around our house.  We have a bunch of night owls, apparently.   It was really, really sweet and I was touched.  They put it on a tray and brought it to me as I was fixing my hair.  They helped keep the house tidy and cleaned up after meals. Hugs from Seth, who doesn't do that often. A card from Addie and many homemade necklaces as she sat behind the couch and made one after another for me.   I could tell they were trying to serve me and it made my day.

Then on Saturday, we were planning on having my mom over to celebrate both our birthdays since hers is three days after mine.  Sasha asked me to take her to the dollar store so she could get something for her grandma.  I was impressed that she thought of this on her own.  I always like a trip to the dollar store so off we went. She used her own money and picked out what she wanted to give her grandma.  A new mug, some lotion, and a treat.  When the time came to for grandma and I to open our gifts from each other, Sasha had a gift for me, as well.  She was totally sneaky and had gotten me a few things on our trip to the dollar store, too.  Again, I was touched.  What a sweet girl.

Today is my birthday and my kids have loved me and served me all day. I came to the kitchen this morning to see that Sasha woke up early and made me breakfast and then went back to sleep on the couch.  She is our total night owl so for her to have done this for me was impressive.  They tidied the house while I was gone getting my hair cut.We ate lunch at a favorite Chinese restaurant, and Seth did not utter one complaint despite the fact it is NOT his favorite place.  Sasha made me a cake and decorated it all on her own.  It fell apart as she tried to take it out of the pan so she could frost it, and she felt so bad!  But, we smothered it with frosting and it was quite delicious.

Sometimes I wonder if what I am doing as a mother is even working.  Are they learning?  Am I helping?  Seeing my kids love and serve me in their own way made my heart so happy. What a tender mercy.  It really was so very sweet. They REALLY do love me.....I'll try to remember that when they most likely groan tomorrow when I happily say, "Did you get your jobs done???".

And so it begins....

Baseball and Softball season is upon us.  Will is coaching Sasha's team AND Seth's team again this year.  I am his secretary and have only messed up a few times.  A last-minute change in time for one of the practices and I missed letting one....or maybe two girls know.  UGH.  Maybe I should fire myself. I AM trying. My mind has been on our new direction of not homeschooling for now, planning girl's camp, and getting my mom moved out of her house that sold in 2 days, and moved in with us. She is going to help me.....I have a list of projects to do while she stays with us until her new town home is done.  Yippeee!  Anyways.....back to baseball.....

Seth is playing 1st base and may be pitching for his team, The Houston Astros.  I will never tire of seeing those cute little boys in their uniforms out on the field.  Too cute. Seth is playing with the next age group, so he is no long the oldest and biggest kid on the team.  He has had a hard time connecting with the ball during batting practice and actually got mad at himself and sat in the truck for the last half of practice. Oh dear.

Sasha is playing 2nd base and also wants to try pitching for her team, The Bandits.  She is such a strong girl and has the ability to be a fabulous player.  We have been working with her each day on pitching.  I missed catching the ball and it totally bounced off my collarbone and hit my face.  But, I am ok. LOL.  There is no crying in baseball, right??

Addie isn't playing this year and is quite content getting snow cones during their practices and being the "Bat Girl", even though Seth would rather she not do that.  Brothers.

Audrey and Noah are content to run around and get into the recreation department's equipment during practice time.  A bucket of balls is too tempting.

Looking forward to a great season!  Let's PLAY BALL!!! We'll be at the baseball field every night of the week if you need us............ :)

Stopping Homeschooling.....An Honest Admission

This blog entry is by far the hardest one for me to write.  But here goes....

So much has changed in our house the last few months. Sasha let us know she wants to attend junior high, so we decided to send her. (She went to the band open house today and is going to play the flute.....Wahoo!!).

This past school year has been very hard for me.  The year before was hard, but this one has been worse.  I am not going to lie.  It is hard to admit when something is hard for you, that you aren't as "amazing" as everyone seems to think you are.  Audrey and Noah demand, and deserve more attention with each passing day it seems. I have found myself getting impatient with them as they get into things as we try to do school.  Lunchtime has come many times and I have realized that I have not played with my babies much at all since I was working with the other kids, who more and more don't seem to want to do their work.  Nagging on your kids over their school work, while trying to do housework, and take care of two wee ones is NOT fun. It is very draining, actually. I feel like my time with my littlest ones is slipping away.....

When we first started homeschooling, it was just Sasha. Now it is all three, and we have two little ones, and it is A LOT. It is hard.  It has me running all day, and drained at night.  Bottom line is I am not enjoying it like I used to.  Something needs to change.  The kids have felt it too, I am certain.  They have not seemed happy here at home, at least not like I had hoped.  Not all days are bad, don't get me wrong.  There are good things to be found in each day, but those "I-am-so-glad-I-homeschool" moments have been getting fewer and fewer.  Which is hard for me to say, trust me. I had visions of what I wanted our homeschool day to be.  I read books about what other moms do and how their day goes.  I can't be them.  I can't do what they do. I don't want to carry the weight of their education, all on my own anymore.  It is a heavy burden. I want some help with that!

My reasons for homeschooling are still in my heart.  I do think it has many wonderful benefits. I wanted it to work for at least a few more years with Seth and Addie, but we have decided to send them to public school in the fall.  I registered them today.  It was hard.

The past few weeks as I have worked through this have been tough and I have cried, thinking of all we have done, all we could have done, and what I can't do anymore. I know people will judge me. They will think what I am doing is wrong.  But, it is right for me.  It is right for our family. I want to be the best mom I can be, and for me, not homeschooling anymore is what I need to do.

I actually googled the phrase "Quitting Homeschooling" to see what I would find. I did find a few blogs with moms being very honest and sharing their experience.  I am grateful for them; for being willing to share with whoever comes along, their reasons why.  So, I hope my entry helps some other mom who needs to look at other options because homeschooling isn't working anymore. I hope she knows she isn't a quitter.  She is still a good mom and can still raise her children well.

I have learned so much in the past 5 or so years since we began homeschooling.  Don't judge another family by how they choose to educate their kids.  It is their choice.  We are all doing what we feel is best.  What works for one may not work for another, or it may work for a time, but not be right anymore.

We are doing our best to finish out the school year.........we are limping to the finish line!  I want to finish it out. And I also want to play with my kids in the summer sun. That sounds so very nice.

A Dress Just for Her...

My little Addie is getting baptized next week and she is so very excited!  She is exactly the middle child: two older siblings, two younger.  She wants to feel grown-up and special.  She wants to go to activity days, and art class and softball just like her older siblings do. She has had to wait until she was old enough to do some of these things, and that has been especially hard for her.  She tends to get overlooked sometimes, so Will and I try hard to make sure she knows she is special even though she isn't the oldest, or the baby of the family.  I decided I would make her baptism dress, something I did not do with Sasha.  I wanted it to be special; just for her!  She had told me she wanted a dress that was made from an old wedding dress from the DI.....but I came up with this instead.  She seems ok with it! :) I started working on it with plenty of time to spare and I am glad I did that.  It was a fun experience; not stressful and time-pressured.  The fabric was a new experience for me and a bit hard to work with, but I did it.  Yay me!  And just so you know, you can glue lace and stuff on dresses with the glue gun and it will work out just fine. ;)

I am so excited for her baptism. I can't believe how grown up she is. My sweet girl.....

To Junior High, She Will Go...

I did not see this coming.  I didn't expect to be sending Sasha to junior high; to high school, but not junior high.  But, the Lord had something else in mind.

I have felt like something wasn't right with our homeschooling for a few weeks, and I have felt very uneasy for days.  My prayers were pretty simple, "Help me. Something is wrong and I don't know what."

One day, it was warm so Sasha and I sat on the front porch and chatted while the other kids played.  She asked me a question about high school, which I answered. I asked her if she wanted to go to high school. She said she did. So then, I asked her if she wanted to attend junior high, not knowing why I was even asking her that since it was never our plan to send our kids to junior high.  She started to cry and said she did want to go. I immediately knew that this was right.  I felt the heaviness I had been feeling be lifted. It has been such a spiritual experience from me and I am so thankful for a loving Father in Heaven that knows what I need to do to raise these kids He gave to Will and I.  I knew I needed help, not sure exactly what, and He gave it.

She is registered for the fall.  She is beyond excited.  I am happy for her.  And nervous. I will miss her very much.  But, this is right. Off she goes. Love you so much, Sasha Belle.

Ode to My Joy

 How can you look at this picture and NOT smile??  Can you hear their laughter??  I can.  I hear it all day. I see their messes and mischief. They are little partners in crime, these two.

I try to sit down to play the piano, to practice Primary songs in case I ever get called to serve there, which the thought scares me out of my wits and keeps me up at night.  Anyway, I sit down and there come these two.  First they both slap the keys as I try to continue to play.  Then, they want to sit on me or by me. Then they kick me off the bench altogether.

I was thinking just this week that our home has changed now that they have joined our family.  It would be such a different place without them.  For the first time since we started having kids, I feel I am at my max. I can do no more. I can barely keep up. Having said that, we love these little ones that came to our family, one right after another.  They have brought us so much joy.  They have taught my older kids how to care for someone else and to put their needs ahead of their own.  They know how wonderful it is to hold a wee one and kiss their soft little cheeks.  They know that we all have to work together and that Mom can't do it all.  We have all learned so much and I am so glad.

But, enough of this sentimental stuff!!  I gotta go....Noah put some toys and other random items in the dishwasher so I better go fish them out......and start a load of laundry.....and get Audrey some milk in the PINK cup NOT the blue one....and.....on...and on I go........... But my joy IS full.

Addie is 8...isn't that great!!??

ADDIE TURNED 8 TODAY!

 

Up and ready to open her presents!  I love her morning hair!

 Sasha saved me once again and decorated her cake last night.  She did a fabulous job and Addie loved it!!

Holding her candle that I blinged up a bit with jewels.  You can never have too many jewels, right??

Holding her gifts from the family.  Another LaLaloopsy will now reside with us, and she got an Our Generation Doll from Target. (Looks like an American Girl Doll, doesn't it?? I LOVE those but not the price tag....dang!!)

Here is what the girls made at the party.  I got the containers at the dollar store as well as the rocks and other things they added to their gardens.  I made the toadstools from a batch of baker's clay I whipped up one night, then painted them.  They are my favorite!  They make the gardens look so cute, don't you agree??

 The girls were so cute, making their gardens.  They kept adding more and more rocks and jewels and it was just cute.  We sure have some cute girls in our neighborhood.  I am so glad they came!

Gotta share this gem of an idea from pinterest.  I strung these up with a needle and thread.  So much easier than crepe paper. That stuff drives me NUTS.

The books that our inspiration came from.  Addie got the pink one from Christmas and spent many a night in my bed, as we poured over each page, planning her party.  I will never forget that.  So precious.

 I loved sending the girls home with the fairy garden; it was different than what I usually do.They did get a small goody bag with a few pieces of candy, bubbles and a cute fairy poem I found in our flower fairy book.

It was a great day.  I am so happy to be Addie's mom.  She bring us joy and spunkiness we would miss without her. Happy Birthday, to our Little Lucky Boo.

Keep your big mouth shut...

Don't you hate it when you decide to say something...

to speak out...

and you think you are doing it well,

 but you end up hurting someone's feelings.

Ya  and I always end up making people

mad at me when I post about

homeschooling.

Maybe I should just keep my

thoughts and feelings to myself.

 

This has not been a good 24 hours for me in some ways,

but in others, it has been wonderful.

 

So, to you that have been offended

by my homeschooling related rants,

I AM SORRY.

That is never my intent.

But, I have come a long way.

I truly don't care how you

educate your kids.

We are all doing what

we feel is best.

There are challenges that come with both.

Sometimes I post about

those challenges that I encounter.

That's all.

**sigh**



Spring Fever.....

We all have spring fever.

Really bad.

We'd love to hop in the car

and drive to the beach, BUT

we decided we should do something

else, a bit of a mini-vacation.

We like to get a hotel for a night or two

in SLC so we can swim, eat junk food,

and swim some more.

 

 

We just got back from a little trip and my mom

came with this time.  It made things so

much easier having her there

so Audrey and Noah didn't

get into quite so much trouble.

 

All we did was:

Swim.

Eat junk with a few pieces of fruit thown in for good measure.

Stay up late.

Wander around City Creek Mall.

Go check out Clark Planetarium.

(Audrey missed this part.  She fell asleep in my arms and we hung out by this huge globe hanging from the ceiling and I very nearly slept along with her.)

We repeated the first three things.

 

 

We had fun running up and down our freakishly long hallway.

Yes, we ALL did this.  Even Grandma.

Noah had fun throwing anything and everything he could get his chubby little hand on into the pool.

Towels and other people's flip flops where his favorites.

He also threw my almost empty pop can in there.

Good thing there were no cameras in there recording us as we swam....

 

It was so very wonderful to have 2 rooms.  We usually only get one room, but since my mom came,

she got her own room.

They were adjoining, so that was great.  We were able to spread out a bit!

We only ate out twice while there!  Yay!

Our packing is getting better:  we didn't forget to too much this time: only a swimming suit

and a jacket. Oh and the camera.  That's why there are no pictures....my bad.

 

It was a fun time.  I was pretty much exhausted from poor sleep both nights...not gonna name names, but some little people do NOT sleep well when away from home.

I came home, had a nap and when I woke up,

The laundry was DONE.

I love my husband.

We ended our weekend at the park, flying kites and playing catch.

Baseball season is coming....

Bring it ON!

My own private cheerleader...

This past Sunday, I was asked to fill in for one of our ward choristers.

My very first calling as a newlywed was

The Ward Chorister.

So, I wasn't too worried about getting up there

and leading the music.

No one really watches you that much anyways, do they?

I know I hardly look at the chorister.

I am too busy keeping the children

from rolling around on the floor

or something equally

not acceptable during church.

After the first hymn ended, it was

pretty quiet, as it usually is for a few moments

before the prayer.

Well, Miss Audrey Anne belted right out,

"Yay, MOMMA!  You did it!!!"

Her cute little voice was as clear as a bell.

The organist and I laughed and also tried very hard to be reverent

and composed at the same time.

The families nearest to Will and the kids

got a big kick out of it, as well,

I later learned.

So fun to have her cheering me on.

:)

 



A Garden Fairy Birthday Party....

 

Addie wants this for her 8th Birthday Party.....

 

That napkin ring is to die for....

 I LOVE this branch centerpiece!

 

 A closer shot....LOVE it.

 

Oh, what fun we will have.

I gotta go to Hobby Lobby!

Anyone want to come with????

Party Favors.....

Her Cake....

The Décor....

Oh, boy.... oh boy ....OH BOY!!

 

Pixie Sticks.....

Pixie Pops (Great big pink suckers)....

Toadstools all over the place....

This is going to FUN.

I better get going.....

Oh, and I am sure what I come up with

won't resemble the pictures I posted,

but I liked them.

I tend to run out of steam sometimes....

can you relate???



"It's A Birthday Party"....

"It's a Birthday Party

and you probably won't be invited..."

Ok, there isn't really an invitation like this, but I feel like maybe there should be!  When I began our homeschooling journey, there have been a few things that have become "side affects" of our decision, and being invited to birthday parties is one of them.

 

My kids rarely get invited to birthday parties.  They go on around us in the neighborhood, but my kids don't seem to get invited very much.  Is it because they are weird?  No, I don't think that's why.  I honestly think it is because the kids around here, when they DO have parties, invite all their classmates, which puts their party at Maximum Capacity, so they don't get around to inviting their Primary friends, or neighbor friends.  Which wouldn't really matter maybe if you attend public school and don't get invited to one party, because chances are your another classmate will have one and you'll get invited that one.  BUT, if you are homeschooled and don't have classmates, that aren't their siblings, the chances of getting invited to a birthday party are pretty slim.

 

So, what is a homeschooling momma to do about this when she has one particular child that WANTS to go to parties SO very badly, but the invites don't come?  (As I type this, she was delivered an invitation to a party that I am pretty sure she was quickly added to the guest list because the party girl invited Addie today at church before checking with her mom.....awkward!  I wasn't sure how to handle this one....."So and so said I can come to her party.....", says Addie.  "Oh, well you didn't get an invitation......", says I.  Oh dear.......BUT, she was able to get an invite and yes, I got kinda teary-eyed as Addie received it.  It means so much to her.......)

 

I have heard that in order to be invited, you must have a party and do the inviting.  True. So we have done that when my kids want a friend party.  Seth has never once asked for, nor had a friend party.  He couldn't care less about that kind of stuff.  So funny.

 

As I have been kinda upset about this whole thing this evening, I had a great idea.  Why not host a "Big Birthday Bash" in the spring or early summer for all homeschoolers?  Have it at a park.  Have lots of cake and ice cream, and games, and even a small gift exchange!!  Why not??  Maybe there are other mothers who have kids that want to get invited to birthday parties, but just don't seem to be remembered all the time, so this might appeal to them.  My mind is thinking of ideas.......this might work.  With some help from some other mothers, we could pull it off.

 

Sometimes we get our feelings hurt and it isn't intended.  I truly don't think people are excluding my kids.  Sometimes things happen and we can't do anything about it, and sometimes we can.  We will just invite ourselves to the party.  I always enjoy a good party.  Especially if there is cake and lots of it!! :)

14 years and counting....

I get to spend each and every day with this guy.  I know, I know, I am lucky!!

The shirt he has on is one he wears all the time.  It was his Father's Day gift last year and he has several more in his closet from previous years. Decorated by his kids.  Their hand prints, and foot prints.  Their names and ages at the time.  That is all he ever asks for on Father's Day. He is the most sentimental daddy ever.  He saves every picture the kids draw for him and also every card I have ever given him.  He is just cute like that.

We celebrated our 14 year anniversary recently by getting a hotel in Salt Lake.  We haven't been able to do that since Seth was a baby.  Money has been tight, or I have been pregnant, or just had a baby or something like that has prevented it.  BUT, this was the year!  I was itching to get away, even if it was just for one night.  My mom came over and held down the fort while we where gone.  She came with candy, popcorn, and frozen foods galore.  The kids barely even noticed us leaving. ;)

So funny!!

Right off the bat we set off for Salt Lake to pick up.............. Will's New Truck!!  Yes, finally! The day had come!  He has only wanted a truck since I day I met him.  He had one once that my dad gave him, but we had to sell it.  :( He had found a used one on KSL, test drove it, debated about getting it for days, AND finally we decided it was time so we picked it up that evening.  I am so happy for him!!  Getting things in order and actually getting the truck took all afternoon and evening, but I didn't care.  It was about spending time together, right?? We got around to eating dinner well after 7pm which is prime eating time at most restaurants and the waiting time was 45 minutes.......too long since we were hungry!!!  We ended up eating at Kneaders at City Creek and it was really yummy!!!  It wasn't crowded at that hour, and we were actually kind of glad we picked a place were we could eat our meal uninterrupted! It was perfect, although not what we originally thought we'd do for our Anniversary Dinner!  LOL!  He took me to Macy's and helped me pick out some perfume since that is one of my most favorite things in the world.  If I could have 1000 different kinds of yummy perfume to pick from each day, I would be in heaven!  The man who helped us gave me lots of extra samples, a bag, and a jewelry organizer once he found out it was our anniversary!  He was so nice!  I felt so spoiled!!

We came right home in the morning after a quick stop at Gordman's.......that place is super fun!  Will was a good sport as I tried on some jeans.....and a few tops.....LOL!!

We had a wonderful weekend and we both felt very refreshed and ready to come home to our 5 kids and our busy household!  We both decided we NEED to do this more often.  I wonder if my mom is game???? 

Happy Anniversary, to my sweetheart!  Looking forward to many more years.........

 

Christmas 2012....a little late

Better late than never, right??? I know, I know.  I have discovered the joys of Pinterest and I do THAT at night now instead of blogging.  I will try to do better....

We had this amazing feast on Christmas Eve and it was so dang fun!!  We had so much food, so we all had to stuff ourselves silly for days to finish it off.  My dad spent the night, so he wouldn't miss the fun.  It was great having him with us on Christmas Morning.  My mom went to see my brother, Devin in Oregon before Christmas and he asked her if she could stay until after Christmas. She changed her flight home and stayed with Devin and his daughter, Rachel.  It was hard to share Grandma, since we were planning on her being with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but we understood Devin needs time with her, too! :) Having Grandpa spend the night was super fun and we stayed up until midnight on Christmas Eve....what in the world???? We were playing Monopoly.....

 

I remember waking up at like 5am on Christmas morning, and I am happy to say, my kids have never once gotten up earlier than 7:30am!  YAY!!

 

 Sasha got some Lego Friends and had fun setting them up!  My girls LOVE these; they are darling!!

 Cute little Addie with her LalaLoopsy.  She has quite a collection now!

 Ah, Seth got LEGO'S, too!  He had that thing built in like 20 minutes. LOVE his face in this picture!

 Noah had fun getting into everyone else's stuff which was pretty much hilarious.....to Will and I and not to his siblings!  Ha ha!! He did get this cute little train and toy behind him that he has liked!  LOVE that baby boy so much!!

 Then there was Audrey Anne, the last to wake up that morning.  She was not quite sure what was going on at this point when I snapped this picture. She got some fun play food and a cute doll like her sisters.  What a fun day this was!

We had a great Christmas and enjoyed the SNOW that started falling on Christmas Eve and keep coming down all through the holidays.  We took the big kids sledding at the high school and they loved it even though the temps were in the teens.  Brrrrr!! We spent our Christmas Break here at home, playing games, eating way too many cookies and just enjoying this wonderful life we have.  We are so blessed and feel so very grateful for it all.  We rang in the new year by banging pots and pans outside on our porch in the freezing cold night!  **YIKES**  Happy New Year and so far 2013 has been wonderful..........

Relax....and LEARN

This winter I have struggled with what I am sure is the "Winter Blahs".  It has been too cold to play outside, and that can get kinda old.....  We all have lacked motivation and would like to take more days off than we should if we want to finish our year off by the end of May. I have found myself saying out loud, "What in the world is our problem??".

We have been staying up a little later than I would have liked.  Starting school later than usual. Finishing later than usual. And I have just went with it.....and it is OK.  I have relaxed and guess what?  We are still learning.  We are still getting things done. I read recently that another homeschooler described their homeschool as "relaxed".  What a great word.  A big reason why I wanted to homeschool is because I wanted my kids to enjoy learning; to find joy in it.  A relaxed atmosphere, in my opinion, is a perfect place to find joy in learning.  Not a rigid place where imaginations can't be used and developed.  Not a place where I am yelling at them to get their work done.  That's a hard one.

But, my kids have their daily assignments written down and they KNOW free time to use electronics will ONLY come when they finish, and also it has to be at least 2pm. (Or else they might be tempted to finish too early and play the day away on the computer.  If they finish early, they can play anything but NOT electronics).  I remind them to get started on their school, but let them know it is up to them when they finish.  It has made such a difference in the tone of our homeschool.  Addie has been my #1 finisher lately and it has been really cute to see her check all the things off that she has to do that day so she can be done.

Seth, on the other hand, has been super slow at getting going.  He has found a book series he loves and reads them all the time.  Do I stop him?  Nope.  He can read all he wants but he knows his turn on the computer won't come if he doesn't do his school work.  The other day he played all morning long with Audrey and Noah.  Well, he did manage to get a few things done off his list, but saved the "hard stuff" until last.  I found myself getting frustrated with him not getting all his work done quickly, but then I realized he is doing something important: Playing with the little ones!!  They need to be loved, and played with while we are doing school, and he completely engaged them for hours!!  Once they went down for their nap, which is finally AT THE SAME TIME, he and I sat down and did his math and grammar.  That is what makes my heart sing about homeschooling: He played and spent time with his siblings.

I read a book about homeschooling once written by a veteran homeschooler and she said that each day her children wake up at 6:30, do their chores, eat breakfast, practice their instruments, and meet on the couch with their daily planners, ready to go by 8am.  When I read this I was just getting started in homeschooling and tried very hard to pattern my day like hers.  Well, it didn't work.  It was making me miserable and angry when my day didn't go like hers.  I have finally figured out, I think, what works for us.  Me being relaxed, yet firm. Focused, yet fun. Enjoying the mess and mayhem of each day, and making sure I have my good shoes on so my feet don't hurt at the end of the day.

My hope is that my kids will love to learn, to know that their success does depend on them, and that if they dilly-dally around TOO much during the day, 3 o'clock will come and the "teacher" will be off duty, so they will be on their own to figure out how to multiply fractions, or how to diagram that sentence.

He's not me...

Ever since this boy of mine was...oh about 3 years old, he has given me a run for my money.  Ok, maybe since he was born.  Can you say headstrong?  Determined? Particular? He likes what he likes and doesn't like what he doesn't like.  Easy enough?  Right?  Not for me.

I am more of a peace-keeper.  Don't make waves, or at least not very big ones. Go with the flow.

Compromise.  Ya, that's more me, I guess.

So, Seth leaves me scratching my head more often than not.

Will is way more patient with Seth than I am, most of the time.

"He is just like me!", he says.

"Oh, good", I think.  Will turned out ok.... LOL!!

I have come to learn and realize that Seth is NOT me.

He doesn't like what I like.  And that is OK.

He doesn't like most social settings.  I do. I thrive in them, most of the time.

I signed him up for a homeschool group for boys that I thought he might like.

It gave the boys a chance to learn about important men from history, to learn values, to play and do "boy stuff" like sword fighting.  I thought he'd like it.  I wanted him to like it.

Well, he hated it.  A whole lot.

The boys met a few times before the holidays, taking the month of December off.

This gave me a chance to think about his involvement. 

Is it a good thing for him to be in?

Yep.

Is it a big deal if he isn't in it anymore?

Nope. Not really.

After some thought, prayers and chatting with my friend Jennie about it, I realized

that Seth doesn't like it and that's OK.

He can't quit things like Scouts or Primary, but he can quit this group.

Sometimes as parents we tend to force our kids to be what WE want them to be instead of letting them figure out WHO they are and what THEY like.

 Just because I am one way doesn't mean I have to force my child to be like me.

I need to pull back and let Seth be Seth.

I need to listen to him.

I will continue to help him try new things, and I WON'T let him quit certain things, but I will do my best to help him become the best boy he can be.

And if I can figure out how to play Lego Wii games with him,

he will say I am the best mom EVER.