A New Year...

...yay!  We were all ready for school to start again.  I am ready for structure, it will be crazy busy structure but it will be consistently crazy!  I am also determined to get back on this blog kick.  I slacked BIG time the past few months...sorry posterity.  So back at it we went.

Jacey started 6th grade (yikes!) she is excited to be the oldest in the school, to eat lunch at 11:20 (instead of last like last year) and to get back into gymnastics.  She had the last two weeks off and really missed it.  She will practice Tuesdays and Thursdays for 2 hours getting her home at 9:00-for those that know my kids that is LATE!  But I guess it is time to extend her bedtime.  

Dax started 4th grade and is super excited for all the field trips he will get to go one.  He however was not excited to be the only one with homework today.  HELLO 4th grade!  I hope we survive the homework increase (although his back to school blessing said he would so I just need to have faith!) he is also super excited to head back to gymnastics and is also going to play soccer this Fall (as long as his homework gets done).  He will practice gymnastics Wednesdays for an hour and also has scouts on Mondays.  

Skye started 1st grade and is so excited to be going allllll day long!  I have to say Colt and I sure missed her! She loves her teacher, and said everything was so fun today.  She has gymnastics on Tuesdays for an hour and can't wait to get going again.  We had a little trouble right after school but nothing a snack on hand shouldn't fix.  Poor girl was starved and she ate all her lunch.  Dang blood sugar (sorry to pass that on to ya babe!) she is going to have so much fun.  Her bestie (Charity) is in her class! 

Colt started mommy school today.  As soon as the kids were on the bus he ran back in the house and announced "mom it is just you and me now! Let's go to the swimming pool!" Sorry bud it is closed "oh...let's go to the park!" And then a minute later "mom we go to the Library?"  

We did have a good day.  Started with a bike ride to our friends house for our "mourning" party

Then home for some "school" playtime

Then mommy cleaned while he ate.  This had become our "don't want to put it away? Put it here" shelf and it finally got the attention it has been begging for all summer! 

Then we played trains and successfully scattered toys throughout the entire house.  So as a bribe to help clean up we went to the library.  

Today's project (besides everything else) was turning the fridge into a chore chart white board!  Easiest project ever:

Supplies needed: markers

Project instructions: write on your fridge

Done, Easiest project ever!

I am sure this list will change daily for the first week, until we figure out what works and what doesn't. 

Fun filled day for sure!  I got to go back to my weights class, haven't been able to go all summer long, it was good to be back but no doubt I will feel it tomorrow!  I am ready for bed...night!

My Pretty Girl...

...when did she become a tween? Seriously?! I am struggling with that. A friend of mine tests patterns and needed a model for a skirt she made so of course we volunteered. Gave Jacey and I a good reason to get out and shoot some pictures (I am behind with Skye too) We had fun! Jacey Doodle you are one pretty girl!!

Makes a Momma Happy...

...I am not sure why but seeing Dax's calendar filled in almost as much as mine brought a smile to my face.  I didn't even know he had a calendar, or that he liked to keep track on one. 

Jacey's Activity group had a mother daughter activity and I am so glad I got to go hang out with my cute kid-who, by the way, is growing up way too fast!  Her and her friends put on a little skit about being nice, and we had a little speaker talk about kindness and not being a "chicken" did you know that if a chicken gets hurt all the other chickens will rally around that chicken and pretty much peck it to death?  I didn't!  So, chicken farmers, if one of your chickens gets even a small ouchy be sure to take that chicken and separate it until it is completely healed or you will soon have a dead chicken...sad, but there is a good life lesson in how NOT to act.  Bullies are chickens, chickens are bullies! 

love my girl...don't mind our "we just worked out look/atire" we had!

ah what a cute little shoe!  The theme was "stand a little taller"

School This and That...

Oh how we love school, especially when we are nearing the end of another school year. Last term and 2 months from now it will be summer vacation...but not to loose focus...a couple randoms for today. Skye wanted to take a treat for her birthday (which is tomorrow, but there is no school.  I asked her what she wanted and together this is what we came up with...nutella, strawberries, and pretzel rods.  It was a hit as far as she was concerned.  And as far as I was concerned too seeing how I didn't have to bake anything!

she was the queen for the day too!

so do you remember a few months (or maybe it was only weeks) Jacey had a mishap at school involving coats not hung up and balls under the coats?  She fell and got a nice little bruise on her hip.  I told her she should be more careful and she came back with a "No, I will write a persuasive letter to the principle"  Well she did and the principle pulled her out of class to tell her that there would be a new ball box by the lunch room effective immediately.  Well here it is!  Good job sis!

Tonight also brought PTC.  In short I have totally awesome kids!
Skye's teacher said she has a very calming presence, she is often paired up with rowdier kids, or kids that need just a little boost because she can calm and lift them.  She said that Skye really doesn't need her anymore, she is where she needs to be for first grade.  A few weeks a go she wrote me a note that said "i dont want to do my chrs or my homwrk.  I will brush borg.  love skye i love you" I thought that was odd, but loved her inventive/phonetic writing so I saved it.  I was telling Miss Porter about it and she chuckled and said that it was her fault.  They were talking about (I can't remember now) in class and she suggested that if there was ever something they didn't want to do but were afraid to talk about it, maybe they could write about it...hence the I don't want to do my chores, but I will brush Borg instead note.  Skye made her day today when she came in and said "Miss Porter, even though I will be in first grade next year I will still bring you my pictures and books!"

Dax's teach had to start off by saying how much she loved Jacey.  Every Friday Jacey and her friend Jayden go to her room and clean it completely.  They miss the grade school bus and just run to the high school to catch it.  Then she said how much she loves to ask Dax questions because she knows she will never get just the cut and dry answers.  There will always be lots of thought, imagination, and creativity put into his answers, and that they are ALWAYS spot on right!  It really is so true about him.  When we have FHE he never gives the "Sunday School answers" they are always thought out and right on.  He has excelled this term, his focus has improved, and he even passed off a math facts sheet.  AR was not met, but we knew that, and our goal (so he can have his privileges back) is to get them all by the week after Spring Break.  We are reading a GOOD one together and for the first time EVER he looks forward to reading...I got a lovely groan when I got paged out tonight on a call and had to stop reading.

Jacey's teacher thinks Jacey is just the sweetest thing and appreciates her sooooo much.  Jacey has a hard class, all of her teachers have said so from the time she was in kindergarten, yet she very rarely gets drawn into the drama or the distractions.  She said she is good at everything she sets her mind to.  Her teacher LOVES to read her writing assignments, because IR testing will soon be essays they have been doing lots of it.  She is consistently improving and her thoughts are so well organized and expressed.  She had straight A's.  On a non-school note she has been invited to join the Silver Team in gymnastics this summer and she is soooo excited, yet quite nervous as this will mean competitions next winter.  I have no doubt she will give it her all and will be just fine!

Colt...well he is looking forward to the day he gets to go to school, I on the other hand am torn and will enjoy these next 2 years (and a summer)!

And then since Greg and I are also in school here is our update:
Greg has 3 more tests and his final project, goal is to be done by June (he said that with a little hesitation, but I am holding him to it)
My transition has been a little intense lately since I had to unexpectedly renew my NREMT license a year earlier than I thought-dang my "go-get-it-ness" (that is Greg's term) if I had procrastinated 4 months I could have had until NEXT March to get it all done...but alas I am just short 3 hours and they are covered in my ICS-100 course I am finishing up (hopefully tomorrow) then I just need to pass off my skills to Medical Control (aka the ER doctor) and I should be transitioned from an EMT-Basic to an EMT...wahoo!  I am also slowly working on my Spin Instructor Cert. still teaching as a student and once NREMT is done I will take that test...so my goal is the end of April for all of it!  Then I am going straight to the library and READING a book for myself. 

Gotta love education and all the opportunities we have!

I Think It Is Pretty Obvious...

...that I am out of the habit of blogging everyday.  my #1 excuse/reason is I just don't sit down to the computer near as much as I used to, it makes my head hurt...I find myself using my phone or iPad if I do need the internet.  Some might think it would be easier to blog with so many resources but it isn't!  I don't like the way the aps blog.  I can't order my pictures or add captions. 
So here you have our last week in review...

This is what happens when mom closes her eyes for a few minutes.  When Skye was entering the "Quiet Time" zone I would lay on the couch with her and she would snuggle and hang out with me.  Colt says "I nuggle you mom" and sweetly draws me onto the couch next to him, but at the first chance sneaks off the couch.  For someone so active and noisy all day long he can be eerily quiet as he creates one piece of art after another.  So I have to fight the naps until he closes his eyes first.  He will still nap 2-3 days a week. 

gotta love the artwork on the fridge...doesn't quite understand the concept yet

Tuesdays I get a few hours for myself...I fill it with Group Power and usually grocery shopping. LOVE IT!

these little buddy boys are the cutest friends ever!  The best part of the day is listening to them wake up, it goes something like this C:Dax wake up, Dax wake up, DAX let's go out a front room D: Okay Colt C: Dax, you take my blankets? D: Yes! C: We play iPad? D: Yeah!  And then there is more cute little conversations and they play so cute together!

For mutual on Wednesday the Stake put on a Youth Dance.  I had some girls that wanted a ride so I went and hung out.  Oh my ENTERTAINING!  I so do not miss those awkward moments of the first few moments of a slow song. I literally had to cover my mouth so I could chuckle a few times. 

Wednesday night I also got my class Valentines put together.  This is the BEST granola I have ever had!  My cousin Mardy gave me the base recipe and I have built on that.  It is clean, healthy, and full of heart-y goodness! 

Thursday, of course brought gymnastics.  I know I say this every week, but I love watching the kids improve.  I am pretty sure Jacey is getting close to advancing levels.  She is getting stronger, faster, and more graceful every week!

Skye is also making great leaps.  Her cartwheels are improving and she is the first in her class to volunteer to try something new.

Dax's favorite part is the end of class when they play tag.  I am happy he is happy and having fun.  He is willing to always try his best and I have seen him come out of his shell a little more every week.  He is getting really close to doing a back flip without the roller to spot him, and he has mastered the dive roll. 

The one downfall to gymnastics is that it is in the same parking lot as our favorite restaurant.  It is so tempting.  Earlier this year we sat down with the kids and told them we would only go out to eat for special occasions.  V-Day qualified! Colt says "We go to Taco Burrito, (then pulls out the sweet look and adds an exaggerated) please?!"

This week also marked my official "Get back to work" week.  I have limited myself.  The only NEW clients I will be taking this year will be newborns.  I just can't say no to those snuggles.  I have also opened my schedule up to families and kids, but only if we have worked together in the past.  That will hopefully keep me just busy enough.    

So there you have it, our week in review. 
I do have to add a few cute things Colt says:
"Ummm, no!"  He can't just say No!  He has to add the Ummmm before it every time
"ha-hu-ke" (the kids have taught him to call his rear end his bahookee) he cracks himself, and everyone else, up every time he says it.  
"I wuv you too, Mom!"  He never just says I love you, he is good to always add the persons name.  Melts my heart!

"Count wit me.  Monday, Tuesday, Monday...Tuesday!"
"Count wit me. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 14, 19"  occasionally he just jumps in somewhere around 7-9.  It is always confusing what kind of "counting" he means.
Oh and everything else he says is just so cute, although he has learned "stupid" I blame Greg because it is mostly inanimate objects like "stupid chair" when he stubs his toe on it.  Or "stupid toy" when it is in his way...so Greg!  He has also learned "shut up" and "poopoo butt".  Oh the joys of older siblings to teach littles such attractive words!  I admit though I have to hide my giggle as I put him in time out for saying them.  I threatened all the kids with time out for using those words, and then added Greg to the list every time he says "stupid" he might be on the chair more than Colt :)

I feel guilty, because I am sure there were more "little moments" I have already forgotten about since I didn't blog everyday.  I will try to be better, but no promises...this next week will be a busy, but exciting one for sure!!

Front Flip In Under An Hour...

...last week Jacey came up to me after her class, with a little nervousness in her voice saying that "next week we are going to start working on our front flips".  I was excited, her teacher was excited, but I could see she wasn't quite convinced she was ready.  So class started today like it always does, laps, pushups, crunches, and a few other warmup activities.  Then they ran through a few front rolls
(diving somersaults) and then they started advancing into flips.  I couldn't see all the advancing stages because there are 3 classes going on at once (including Skye's) but I tuned back in towards the end of class and saw this...



...I was a little surprised/excited!  With as nervous as she seemed I figured it would take her a couple weeks to build up to the tuck.  There was only one other girl in her class that wasn't still doing front rolls.  Now she just needs to land a little less on her bum and remember to finish and she has got it!  So proud of how hard she pushes herself!  All of the kids push themselves every week, and it is so fun to see how much they progress each time. 

The Power of Persuasion...

...yesterday Jacey had a little misfortune fall upon her by the lunchroom.  She described it like this: she was trying to hurry (to hang up her coat) to get in line for lunch.  Her shoelace got caught on something when she tried to jump over coats kids had left on the ground.  When she found her footing she found it on a football hidden under a coat.  She banged her left hip, shoulder and back (leaving a small bruise) as she again tried to balance herself. 
So being the super intelligent, full of wisdom, compassionate mom that I am I said "maybe you should be more careful" she replied with much more intelligence, wisdom, and compassion "No, I am going to write a persuasive letter during my free time tomorrow!".  And so she did.  She wrote a letter stating why she thought it was a good idea to have a ball box by the lunchroom as well as a requirement that all kids hang up their coats on the provided hooks.  She gave it to the principle who later called her out of class and told her there would soon be a box, and a requirement for all kids. 
Proud mommy moment for me, I have such an amazing kid!! And a shout out to the principle for hearing and acting! 

In God We Trust...

...I absolutely loved seeing this as part of Jacey's homework tonight!  Our teachers are teaching history the way it should be taught, and maybe just maybe helping to instill in our children the need for a change in our government.  I feel lucky to know that my kids can still learn this in school, where so many places around the country would never allow such teaching material...for fear of offending someone.

Oh I Love Fall...

...for so many reasons, here are just two...

potato harvest!  You can practically pick them up off the road, but you don't have to. 

baking to take the chill of the house!  This was sooooo good I had to snitch a bite before I even took a picture.

The recipe for this banana cake: it is HEALTHY, but you would never know it!
3-5 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
(mix these wet ingredients together and set aside)
2 cups of ground oatmeal (measure it before you grind it and then grind it into a flour like consistency)
1 tsp salt 1
 tsp baking soda
(mix these together and then add them to your wet ingredients mixing only until combined)
*extra add ins if you want: 1/2 cup raisins, dark chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut
grease your pan, I used a glass 9x9 this time, but I have dome them as muffins, and bread loafs.
Bake at 350* until a toothpick comes out clean. I started checking at 20 minutes.

The exciting news today (actually the past 3 days): Colt said "change my diaper" at least 100 times a day. He is finding out that he does not like to be wet...YAY! We have sat on the toilet 99 times today, but have yet to have success. I just need 3 solid days of NO interruptions and I think this kid could be potty trained. That means NO MORE DIAPERS AT OUR HOUSE...EVER! Now to find those 3 days...

The funny for the day: After a busy weekend we didn't get off to an early enough start today and so Greg planned to take the kids to school. I was in the kitchen and Jacey came in and sighed an oh so heavy sigh... Me: What was that sigh for? Jacey: I am just trying to hold on to my patience Me: Patience for what? Why? Jacey: (nods her head towards Dad who was slowly getting ready) Oh, you know Dad! oops my lack of patience is rubbing off, in her defense I was about ready to spread the peanut butter on Greg's bread myself...haha

More fall LOVE throughout the week/month I am sure!

Little Miss Class Secretary...

...Jacey was elected class secretary today and is super excited to be involved in that this year.  Congratulations babe!  She worked hard on her own posters and did a great job campaigning. 

It is FRIDAY and for most that means FOOTBALL, but for us it means MOVIE NIGHT with the family, a good dinner, a good movie, and some air popped popcorn!   We watched Horse Crazy Too (the sequel to Horse Crazy) and while yes, it is a cheesy-filmed in Utah-movie it was a fun show.  Even Greg and I had a few laughs.

Greg and I were so stumped when we still didn't have a new movie to watch in the mail, until we pulled the dresser out and found Monday's movie still there...so we settled down with a couple TV episodes.  I have an early morning service project in the morning so I am off to bed early.  Monday's movie was Knight and Day and as a comedy it was pretty funny, completely silly dumb at times, but we had a couple good laughs.

Jacey Is Cool...

...and I am not just saying that! She has really missed art class this Summer, but with her other duties and responsibilities she has been a good sport about it. I have been trying to encourage her (read: let her) get out my acrylic paints (I only have red, yellow, blue, white and black-what more do you need right?!) during quiet time and I am amazed at what she has done. I think she is actually pushing herself more than she did in class. These were free drawn-no tracing- and then the one was painted...amazing right?!  

this one she painted on an envelope and the top corner was ripped off (hence the white spot)

The Pool Is Broken In...

...and we all said "ahhh finally!" It wasn't super warm (70s), and pretty breezy but the water was 80* so as long as you were in and all the way it was nice!

Jacey on the NEW diving board!

Jacey's Splash

Skye (and Dax's shoulder and back)

More of Dax (Skye under water)

And Colt was just fine hanging out on the side checking things out.  We did finally get in and he loved it as long as he had a tight hold on me.  By the end of the summer he will be a little fish I am sure!

Jacey's A Working Girl

...so remember my post a few weeks ago about how they are going to start charging parents with some silly charge for making their kids work on the family farm?! If we place air quotes on work it isn't violating child labor laws now is it? Besides, I am a softy and after a week of begging and nagging and bribing and nagging some more, I finally called my friend for Jace.

 Here is her account of her first day of "work"

My first day at work with Jamie Whittle was the best work day ever!
First, I fed and watered the cow. I carried a sled of hay to her and filled a barrel of water for her.
Second, I fed the noisy goats. I grabbed arm-loads of hay and put it here and there in the pen for them.
Third, I chained up a few goats in the front yard to eat grass. On the third goat, I hit my arm with the hammer when I was putting the post in the ground.
Forth, I got to milk a goat, my hands smelled like goats after that.
 Fifth, I rode Keithen's horse to get her used to riding. I also held the lead rope on the way back, while Keithen rode. When I was letting her loose, she pinned my foot (boy, did that hurt)!
On the way home, after the tiring day, I thought what fun I would have the rest of the summer!

PS) No, mom did not show up to take pictures...Jamie sent them to her, and sorry she is too lazy to rotate the picture right now.
 

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Movie Review...

...I finally got to go see The Hunger Games, and I LOVED it!  The only part that I thought veered from the book was the "creatures" at the end, in my head they were a lot worse than the movie.  I also had a hard time loving Peta in the book, but loved him in this movie.  Definitely one I will have to watch with Greg again, but I think I am going to make him read the book first.  It is not a happy go lucky movie, but if you read the books you know that.  In case you didn't read the books, be aware. 

In other news I receive a bad parent award.  A few months ago I posted a video about Kony 2012 and how hopeful I was that we could make a difference, yet I failed to educate my kids about him and what Americans were trying to do to help.  Tonight while I was gone Greg got in the shower after the kids were in bed and came out to find Jacey in tears.  When he asked her what was wrong she said that there was a guy from Africa stealing kids from the beds and making them kill their parents and other kids, and that there are signs all over the school saying to Stop Kony.  All true, right?!  Yeah, except in her little world she was sure he was here in Oakley, Idaho stealing kids here.  Talk about sad!  Greg was able to educate her on something I obviously should have weeks ago, and especially last week during the Cover the Night project.  She had told Skye she was scared and so Greg got to sit both of his girls down and give them a geography lesson, and calm their fears (hopefully).  So just a heads up parents, something that might seem so obvious to us in our HUGE world is not so obvious in their small world. 

Adventurous Sneak Peek...

...we snuck off to Twin today and had an absolute blast! Here is a sneak peak of our adventure with the "real" pictures coming tomorrow, after I have had more time to edit them.

We started the adventure at Centennial Park in Twin where I had a quick photo shoot, and the kids played on the toys. Then we drove to the Falls, and enjoyed a picnic in the mist (even this far away you could still feel it). It was rather cool! As Jacey pointed out, both cool as in awesome and chilly.

I told Greg when we started out that I WAS going to climb something today, it has been sooooo long (like 10 years) that I have done some serious cliff climbing. It was a proud moment when my kids wanted to climb with me. We kept it more on the simple (for me not them) side since it was their first time and had fun exploring a favorite past time!

It was so nice to spend the day with the family, and pleasantly surprised by the weather. It was supposed to be rainy all day long, we were blessed with SUNSHINE and surprisingly very little wind.

Check 'em Out...

... A friend of mine makes these darling bows and wanted some product photography for them and Skye was more than willing!







And then Jacey got in on the action...seriously these bows can dress up the simplest hairstyle...aren't they the cutest things ever?! LOVE! Check out www.groupdealz.com on Friday for them.

these are the colors she has for this round. (10 points if you can name the plant they are in)