things to remember

These kids are growing too fast! Graham is 22 months old and just had the cutest haircut from our sweet neighbor Tammy.  It turned out great.  A few weeks later I decided I was ready to get mine cut so I could go back to having a style again again instead of just wearing it up all the time.  I do love long hair but I don't have great hair to leave down so  I tend to wear it up all the time.  So this change was great, and Jeremy loves it!

I have been loving sliced pears and walnuts.  Lovely snack. 

It seems my sweet Carlee always knows when I need a little pick me up.  I had a rough morning one day last week.  After the kids went to school I went into my room to make my bed and found this note on my nightstand.  She is always so thoughtful.

Savanna got the cutest cut too!

Her hair seems so much thicker.  We love it.

New Beginnings

It is hard to believe I will have a 12 year old this year!  Our ward Young Women's had their New Beginnings Program this month.  It was such a sweet experience.  Carlee is so excited to be entering YW soon and I am excited for her.  I am so grateful for the church and all the wonderful programs they have to help us return to our Father in Heaven.

I love this sweet Carlee of mine!

The Holy Ghost

Carlee was helping me bath the kids the other night which she does a lot for me.  She had gotten them undressed and was starting the water.  She was going to plug the tub and let it feel up with water when she felt a really warm feeling in her body and the thought came that she shouldn't feel up the tub, so she didn't.  Then during the bath Graham got mad and throw himself back all the way.  Had the tub been full of water he would have went under all the way.  She knew it was the Holy Ghost who warned her.  She was so happy to followed the prompting. 

As a mother it was so special to see her face light up and feel the love of our Heavenly Father in her life.  Carlee is such a sweet and special young lady.  I know that she will live her life in a way that she will be worthy of the Spirit in her life.  She has a love for people like her Heavenly Father does.  I love you Carlee and am so proud of the good person you choose to be!

Snip Snip........

Saturday night I was giving the boys a trim on the front porch when Savanna arrived with intentions on her mind.  Savanna has been asking for months for me to cut her hair.  I was so afraid it would be a huge puff ball if I did.  She came out and asked if I would cut her hair too.  Something came over me and I did it.  She or I either one could be more happy with it.  It is just beautiful.  It looks so much thicker and just gorgeous!  All she can talk about is her hair.  She is always in the bathroom combing it and flipping it around.  She cracks me up!

Well, Loralie saw what was going on and begged me for an hour to cut hers too.  She wanted an align cut.  After much debate I took a stab at it.  I couldn't believe how well it turned out!  I have seen mine cut so many times that I went with what I've seen.  She LOVES her cut too.  They both looks so cute with short hair!  I didn't do a before, but her hair was almost to her waist!  Plus last week she earned her money and got her beloved feather she has been saving for. It is really cute too!

Carlee just wanted layers and bangs. Her bangs are so cute!  I love how my girls already know what they want and like and are becoming such sweet beautiful young ladies! 

school has begun once again

and we are loving every minute of it!  The kids enjoyed meeting their teachers Tuesday night and Wednesday was their first day back.  Jeremy and I have had a lot of discussion and prayer about school this year for the kids and what was the best option for our sweet children.  We both feel there are some issues with the school programs, but we feel very impressed that our children need to be there, and learn to be "in the World, but not OF the World".  We are disappointed with programs that were taken away and other things going on, but then it occurred to us that it is OUR responsibility to teach our children all that we want them to learn!  Instead of complaining about what the school isn't, we can provide what is important to us as a family.  So we are creating a home of learning and happiness where they can feel a love of learning for life!   We are having tons of fun doing it too!  Right now we are working on learning all 50 states and their capitals, Jeremy is teaching them Spanish, multiplication to 12's, handwriting, history and geography, science fun, typing,  music composers, and art appreciation, and LOTS of nature study.  The girls each have a book they are working on and Hunter is doing great with his reading skills.  Every Wednesday we work on a "Life Skill" our family wants to learn or we feel in important.  I love it cause learning together in our home makes learning seem a natural way in our daily lives.  It is fun and exciting!  I love the{Charlotte Mason} learning methods.  We believe that kids learn best from the world around them, we just have to help them see those things.  I love to read how other families are learning  and get fun ideas from them.  

This was Wednesday morning and everyone was beaming with excitement!

Loralie has our beloved Mrs. McDougal this year.  She has been excited about it since the last day of school in May.  Mrs. McDougal is our neighbor and we love her so much!

4th Grade

Miss Savanna has Mrs. Peterson.  Her classroom is awesome!  She is such a sweet lady and I have heard such great things about her.  We were so happy Savanna got her!

Kindergarten

Our Mr. Hunter has Mrs. Bryce this year for 1st grade.  Loralie had her and we absolutely loved her!  She is fun and enthusiastic!  Learning is fun in her classroom.  We are excited for another great year with her!

1st Grade

Fisher had to be included in all this craziness.  He will have Mommy as his teacher for the next 3 years!  And boy does she love him!

Carlee has Mrs. Williams this year.  She is new to the 5th grade.  We have heard really great things about her and Carlee is loving her class so far.  When we met her Tuesday Jeremy and I really liked her.  Carlee is super excited about the 5th grade.

5th Grade

This face makes me smile!

at the creek

We were all longing for some peace and tranquility Saturday. It has been a LONG and HOT summer! We drove up the mountain to a small creek and enjoyed the quiet beauty that surrounded us.  Jeremy and I both enjoyed the sand between our toes and the cool creek water.  The kids enjoyed splashing and chasing tadpoles, collecting colorful rocks and building a dam with their daddy.  Graham tasted all the rocks within reach and loved to immerse his hands in the warm course sand time after time.   I love to watch his face as he is exploring his surroundings in each new place we visit.  Children truly enjoy the world around them.  I am so looking forward to the upcoming adventures we have planned with our children. 

Our Very Own Rapunzel

Carlee has always been very creative. 

As a small child she would make doll clothes out of things all over the house to fit whatever she was playing.  The other day she came out of her bedroom with this long "Rapunzel" hair and her little friend "Pascal".  All the girls have wore this "Hair" everyday now.  The only problem is, the boys like to step on it and tie it to things to hear the girls scream! 

Gotta love brothers!

Easter

We did so many things this year!  It was so much fun and really stress free for once.  We did a lot of talking about the meaning of Easter.  We dyed eggs, filled up plastic eggs with goodies, did our Saturday Easter egg hunt with a family cookout.  Then Saturday night we did our Easter Cookies and the story.  Then Sunday morning we opened the oven and finished the beautiful story of our Savior.  We gave the kids chocolate bunnies and spent the morning together before church.  We don't do the whole Easter bunny at our house, but we do lots of fun things.  The kids really enjoyed Easter and all that came with it.  I can't believe how fast they are growing up.  Holidays are becoming such a joy with this bunch!  We even had the privilege of witnessing 4 baby chick hatch out.  Their mother had 4 other babies and left these eggs.  So my sweet husband took them under his wing and keep them warm in our dehydrator and hatched them.  Watching the miracle of their entrance was so neat.  The kids loved every minute of it.  From the first little crack to the hole getting bigger and bigger and then the little beak poking out.  It was amazing!  Easter was wonderful this year.  What a blessing my family is to me.