A Little Jaunt

Or maybe a long hike.  For scout camp this year our scout troop decided to do a 5 day (technically 6 days, leaving Monday, returning Saturday), 50 mile hike.  The boys and leaders were required to carry everything they needed for the entire time, including bedding and food.  Leading up to it Tyler and Joe were really excited but for about a week before they started getting a little nervous.

They both agreed it was the hardest thing they have ever done but also the most rewarding.  The families were able to meet them up the mountain on Wednesday to provide a nice dinner and participate in a fireside.  We were able to get a small glimpse of the spiritual experiences they were able to have throughout the week.  Amazing.  And it was nice to hug my husband, although he didn't smell the best!

Tradition?

Braelynn decided to cut her hair for Locks of Love and donated 10 inches.  It was a decision that shocked me!  She loved her long hair and I really thought she never would cut it.  She decided to cut it just in time for school to start, which makes her even more excited to go to school and see her friends! 
                                                                          Before:

After:

 

Hidden Messages

I came across this picture and thought it would be fun to post.  One Sunday morning Tyler was teasing his sisters relentlessly (like normal). 
Brenna,  who has recently been becoming a little comedian, wanted to show me something she had made.  I came out and saw this message:

 Tyler is a butt

She is not allowed to say that word so I had to hide a smile, gently reprimand her, and send her out of the room so I could sneak in a picture. 



Birthday Girls

My cute twins turned 7 this week! 
One thing about those two, they work really well together.  In our family the birthday person gets to choose what dinner they want to eat on their birthday.  In the past they have wanted the same thing but this year Brenna wanted pizza and Braelynn wanted pancakes.  So we had pancakes for breakfast and pizza for dinner.  I always make two different cakes for them, but since they were having a party a different day than their birthday Braelynn chose to have her cake for the party (pajama pants cake) and Brenna have hers on their birthday (present cake).
It was fun to watch them opening presents during their party.  Some (ok, a lot) of their friends can't tell them apart and would hand them a present with the wrong name. They would look at the tag and then at each other and say "switch!"
They chose to have a pajama party this year.  For party favors the girls all decorated their own pillowcases, which all the girls seemed to love and the invitations were little paper pajama pants with a ribbon for the drawstring bow.  There ended up being 13 girls including Brenna and Braelynn.  It was so fun to see the girls all playing and having fun!

 Roller Skates!!!

Glad it's over!

Sometimes when life gets really busy (like even busier than usual) Joe and I console ourselves by reminding each other that someday we will be old with not much going on, wishing we had something to do.  The sole reason I am writing this post is so that when we look back we can remember "the good ole days".

From Monday to Saturday we did this:
*11 soccer games (because of some silly tournament that I think was totally ridiculous to have in a recreational league), none of which overlapped times. That translates into about 16 hours spent at the soccer fields,
*2 doctor/orthodontics appointments,
*1 band concert,
*1 orchestra concert,
*1 piano recital,
*2 birthdays (ok, that's kind of cheating because it's kind of two birthdays in one, but it still includes 2 birthday cakes, etc.),
*1 school birthday celebration attend
*1 birthday party which involved 13 7-year old girls,
*1 day hike for scouts (Joe and Tyler)
*1 all-day school trip (Veronica, state orchestra),
* young men's, young women's, activity days, 4-H activity, 3 early morning orchestra practices, 3 after school drivers ed, 2 wrestling practices, piano and violin lessons,
*1 garden tilled and planted
*1 after school end of year activity (Veronica)

Keep in mind that Joe is working nights, Monday through Thursday, and leaves at 5:00 pm.  That means I am the sole driver to get kids where they need to be and still have the usual activities: work (only 4 hours a day, but still), cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping,  exercise, primary stuff, reading, homework and music practices to nag about oversee, errands,  and laundry.  Add in a few extras this week:  Birthday party invitations made and delivered, birthday games planned and ready, treats bought and/or made for 3 soccer games, school birthday celebration, and 4-h activity, dessert and rice to cook for ym/yw activity, babysit friends' baby and toddler, buy plants, seeds etc. for garden,  and soccer team mom duties to accomplish.

We had 5 crock pot dinners in 6 days and didn't sit down as a family for dinner (which is a high-priority item for me) the whole week.
Last night as I was in the middle of Brenna and Braelynn's birthday party, I realized it was almost the end of "the week" and that I had done it, it was almost over!
And now...5 more days until school is out!  yahooooooooo!

Love the Bug

Braelynn has been bit...by the reading bug!  I think reading is a necessary tool in anyone's life, and always worked really hard to make my kids fluent readers.  

Veronica was a piece of cake and read at 4 years old.  In fact, if she got in trouble I would sometimes take away her book.  It was the only thing that worked.  I know, bad parenting!

Tyler hated to read until...about a year or two ago.  Imagine my delight after years of MAKING him sit down and read EVERY DAY, suffering through years of complaining and whining whenever it was time to read, not allowing television until he got his 20 minutes of reading in, when he came to me and told me about a book he liked and (more recently after walking into his room and seeing him reading a book on his own).
Note to parents that have children that are struggling with reading.  Be patient.  Make sure they read every day.  They will get it.  Tyler always had low reading score until he reached middle school.   Now he is reading two grade levels ahead.

Samantha never had a "moment" when she just loved to read but has gradually and steadily gotten better at reading and enjoyed it more as the years went by.

Brenna and Braelynn entered first grade a little behind in their reading.  Their teacher assigned them (us) extra reading to do every night.  So in addition to homework, spelling words, running 5 kids around to various activities, etc.  I would spend between 50-60 minutes reading each night between the two of them, sometimes a little more if there was a long story to read. They have both made huge progress, by the way!
One day last week, it kind of clicked with Braelynn.  She found the confidence in herself, had enough knowledge on how to do it, and found a love of reading.  She spent about 20 minutes going through the shelf on the bookcase that has chapter books and stacked them up in her room ready to read them.  I made a special trip to the library to get some books that I knew were on her level and that she would love.  Junie B Jones, anyone?

Why does that make me so happy?  One, because that means I only have to find time to read with Brenna.  Two, because even though I don't get much time to read anymore, I love to read and love to see my kids have a love for reading.  Three, because it makes my heart happy to watch my kids learn anything new.  That is one of the reasons why we are on this earth, to learn.  It also is good for kids to see that hard work eventually pays off.

Now, go read your kids a book!

Music

Recently music has had more meaning to me than it has in the past.
I get the privilege to be in the room every week when these songs are sung by children who are learning how true these words are.
If you know these songs, please read them and pay attention to the words.  If you don't know them, I know without a doubt that they are true.  I know that we have a Heavenly Father who knows each of us, everything about us and that he wants to help us and is there to help us when we ask for it.  We can pray to him and he WILL hear us.  He wants us to be happy and enjoy this live (And we can!) even though it is full of trials and hard things.

For example:.

A long time ago in a beautiful place,
Children were gathered ’round Jesus.
He blessed and taught as they felt of His love.
Each saw the tears on His face.
The love that He felt for His little ones
I know He feels for me.
I did not touch Him or sit on His knee,
Yet, Jesus is real to me.

I know He lives!
I will follow faithfully.
My heart I give to Him.
I know that my Savior loves me.

Now I am here in a beautiful place,
Learning the teachings of Jesus.
Parents and teachers will help guide the way,
Lighting my path ev’ry day.
Wrapped in the arms of my Savior’s love,
I feel His gentle touch.
Living each day, I will follow His way,
Home to my Father above.
I know He lives!
I will follow faithfully.
My heart I give to Him.
I know that my Savior loves me.

or

I'm trying to be like Jesus;
I'm following in his ways.
I'm trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

"Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

I'm trying to love my neighbor;
I'm learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:

"Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.

or:

If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously,
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more reverently
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?
Would His presence give me strength and hope, and courage to endure?
Would His counsel guide my actions? Would I choose more worthily
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there
And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care
So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.