Fall Colors

What a beautiful weekend!  We went down to my parents to enjoy the fall colors of Conejos Canyon.

Oh how beautiful the Fall colors were!  I love hiking with my family and the sweet conversations.

Weekend Getaway

We went to my parent’s house for the weekend.  We did a couple of projects for them.  She stuffed our van full of goodies and harvest from her garden.

The boys went to the Priesthood session and out to dinner.

 

The girls went over with me to Annie’s, to do a little photo shoot, AND then out for an ice cream treat.  I loved this photo of the girls with my mom. 

We took a ton of pictures because Annie has so many fun spots for photos.  I have to share just a couple so that you can see the various places…

  I see Annie’s little ranch that her kids can roam and explore.  I see my mom’s big, landscaped yard, and it just depressing me when I come home and see MY yard!  It was fun to enjoy THEIR yards though.

 

The little girls love grandma’s toys and stories.  The big girls love to monopolize her office and create a pretend “hotel”.  They love typing on a spreadsheet, calling on the multi-button phone, punching room cards, and just acting like they own a hotel.  Kaylee says that someday she WILL run a hotel as a side business.

 

Jacob also worked on a school project while we were down there.  He has to make a video of Niger and wanted to film a little skit in front of the sand dunes.  He had quite the accent going on.

I am SOOO sad though!  Our house is now empty and quiet, since the two little girls stayed with my parents.  I keep calling them every hour, but they are having a ball with all of the attention and activities my mom has for them.  I’m glad they will be coming home soon though…

Thanks for making memories with them mom and dad!  AND thanks for the beautiful Fall/Conference weekend!

Library

Most of my day is spent trying to maximize my time as much as possible.  There is just always so much to do and so little time to do it.

Today I met a friend at the library to work on photography without flash.  Why did I tell her the library?  Because it’s an indoor place, AND I could take Jerrica to story time.  It was fun for all of us.  I hope that all of my indoor hints made sense.
AND we got some “scary” Halloween books.  I think my favorite Halloween book is the Cinderella Skeleton.


I enjoy books with rhyming phrases.  Here is the link for it -Cinderella Skeleton


Do any of you have a favorite Halloween book?

The 10,000 Hour Rule

Have you heard of the 10,000 hour rule?  Stephen read this book and then I picked it up and read it because of his comments.

It was really interesting.  The author discusses how when psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role "innate talent” seems to play and the bigger the role “preparation” seems to play.  The 10,000-Hour Rule, claims that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.

He shares stories of famous athletes, musicians, lawyers, computer programmers…  They each had put in their practice time and success followed.  Even the gifted had to have the practice time.

He also discusses how various sports and their cut off dates affect where players are placed.  Kids that just barely make the cut off are usually NOT found on the rosters, BUT the kids that are practically a year older because of their birthday, make up the majority of the rosters.  These older kids have had more time to practice and they are physically bigger because they are older.

I think about my family and the time that each member puts into their talents and hobbies.  Jacob draws ALL of the time.  Nathan has that soccer ball at his feet every step he takes anywhere.  I constantly have my camera out or am reading about photography.  The time put into practicing, increases skill level.

We see these computer geniuses or gifted athletes, and fail to remember how much TIME they have put into practicing their skill.  Practice doesn’t always make perfect, but it sure gets you closer to perfection.

Anyway, you can check the book out here - Outliers: The Story of Success

Ashley’s Clogs

Ashley came home exclaiming, “Ezra’s dad called my fancy shoes, “CLOGS”!  Why would he say such a mean word?”  She was clearly upset.

I’m sitting there thinking, uh maybe he called them clogs because they ARE clogs.

She went on to tell me that she told Ezra’s dad, “Please don’t call my shoes names.  They are fancy shoes and they don’t like being called names”. 

Mom and ME Journal

Jacob will send me texts.  Kaylee sends me the sweetest emails.  Nathan is not about to write a note, but will talk nonstop any chance he gets.  As soon as he gets in the van to go to a practice he is talking the entire time about every detail of the day.  Each of my kids are different in how they communicate.

When I saw this idea HERE on Mama Jenn’s blog, I knew that it was totally Rebecca’s form of communication.  The girl is ALWAYS writing in her journal.  She also loves to write stories.  SOOO I knew this would be a hit with her and it has been.  This is the journal we made and SHARE with each other.

Rebecca will date a page and write a note about absolutely anything, and then leave the journal on my pillow.  I then can answer her and leave it on her pillow.  Sometimes weeks may go by without writing, but something will trigger a thought and the journal comes out.  Last Saturday Rebecca had a great game, and I couldn’t resist commenting on parts of the game that stood out to me.  Well, then she wanted me to recount a game when I was a little girl and why I remembered it.

Quotes are shared, date nights are planned, and sweet feelings are penned.   The book is already a treasure! 

The Rapids

Nathan was able to go up with Logan to do a clinic with the Rapids and then watch their game.  He had a blast.  He told me that he can’t wait until he is “playing professional soccer”.  That boy of mine has big dreams.

Thanks for taking him Tom, AND thanks for the picture!

He also told me that someday he will be on posters.  I decided to let that dream be a reality of sorts, and made a poster of his feet for him to hang in his room.  I put his word on it that he tries to always keep in mind when he practices and plays.

Photoshop and Pet Shop

Last week I was consumed by this online Photoshop class.  It was a four day class from 10am to 5pm.  It was all LIVE, so that you couldn’t pause or rewind it. 

I learned a ton of shortcuts, techniques, and tools.  A HUGE thanks to Stephen for helping me with carpooling half day Kindergarteners, so that I could watch the class. 

Jerrica was my buddy as I listened.  She brought in the Polly Pockets and Little Pet shop one day.  She dragged in stories, coloring books, play food from her kitchen, you name it, she was right in here playing with it.  Isn’t it funny how kids have to be wherever you are?!?!

We did take a little break to make cupcakes for the kids.

ANYWAY, photoshop rocks!  I can’t believe how many things you can do with a photo.  I’m grateful for others who share all of their tips and tricks.  Now to remember and use them. 

The Park

We have had BEAUTIFUL days in the high 70’s.

The big girls had a half day on Friday.

Stephen and I, along with the four girls, were starving for lunch on Friday.

Thus, take-out food in the park with JUST the girls on Friday.

This was Rebecca laying on the blanket.

This was Rebecca after I tickled her tummy with my foot.

Kaylee was busy climbing trees.  She really is such a tom boy.

Stephen always makes the park fun. 

Anyway, BEAUTIFUL day and BEAUTIFUL memories!

Inspirational Clip

My sister runs marathons.  Always before a marathon she will email out to family and friends a video clip, story or quote as she counts down the 10 days before the marathon.  This was today’s clip she emailed me.  I have always loved the quote, “Success is getting up ONE more time than you fall”

Life IS hard.  You just have to keep getting up and keep on trying!

Goldilocks

Someone had to dress up as a character today from a classic story.

She was soooo excited to go to school in her blonde wig.  As I was snapping a quick pic of her, she said, “Mom, wouldn’t that be awesome if I could be a REAL Goldilocks, and if I could find a bear house to go into.”  I think that only my Ash, wouldn’t be scared to take on a bear.  The bears would probably run!

Ash Art

Ashley has been getting ready for Halloween by making posters to hang up.  She made one of these for her teacher, tutor, librarian, and ME!

She had Stephen write “poison” on her little bottle.  She told me that “a witch isn’t even scary unless she has poison”. 

I LOVE five year old artwork.  It just makes me smile.  I will be keeping this in our Halloween decorations to frame and hang up for years to come….

Question before Family Prayer

A few months ago I read the idea of asking the question, “Does anyone have anything they want mentioned in the prayer?”

We have implemented it, and I’m kicking myself for not doing this years ago.  It makes family members aware of each other and their needs. I have seen the kids ask how a test went or how someone feels because they were made aware of it in family prayer.  We live in a very self absorbed world, and being able to pray for others, turns our thoughts to others. 

Hearing what family members say, also let’s me into their heads of what is troubling them and what they are concerned about to cause them to bring it up at family prayer.  Nathan asked the other night if we could still pray for Gian Luc’s family.  Rebecca asked to pray for her leg, that I wasn’t even aware of being hurt until she mentioned it.

I just love how this question right before the prayer, personalizes it for our family.  It makes us start thinking of each other.  Praying for a group means being aware of the needs of the group. 

Anyway, just thought I would share….

Our Weekend

Reading

Playing in Soccer Games

Going to Stake Activity Day Activities

Cleaning

Eating out at Hu Hut

Shooting a couple of Photo Shoots

Dancing at a Regional Dance

Eating Kaylee’s yummy Dessert she made

Back and Butterfly

Today was such a long day.  I tweaked my back earlier this week playing basketball and it seems like it’s just getting worse.  :(

I got up canned some pints of stewed tomatoes, then went back to lay on my heating pad.  Got up to work on laundry, then went back to the heating pad.  Got back up to make an apple cobbler that I was craving, then back to the heating pad.  By the time afternoon hit, I gave up on getting up! 

The little girls brought their coloring books into my room and we had a coloring party.  Ashley reminded me that she is ALWAYS giving me pictures and that I don’t really ever color pictures for her.  Rebecca then climbed up and we read together.  Nathan then came in to give me a play by play of his soccer throw in progress.  He is trying to learn how to do a flip throw in, and about broke my TV trying to show me.  I then realized that I didn’t HAVE to be up and going to be involved with the day.  It is just SO hard to sit there knowing all that needs to be done.

ANYWAY, a butterfly hatched and so I snuck away from the heating pad to see the awe in my girls faces as they let him go.

It kept flying on to Jerrica’s dress.  She would giggle and proclaim that “He likes ME”

  Sure hope that I’m “back” to normal tomorrow. 

No More Braces…

Jacob has done his time with the braces…

and now they are OFF…

He is such a sweet boy.  I’m so grateful to have him as my oldest.

Random

We planted 12 tomato plants in the Spring.  We are now reaping the rewards.  The little girls like to pick the red ones with me.  Today as we were filling the bucket Ashley said, “this is like playing hide and seek with the tomatoes”.

I LOVE pinterest and have been trying quite a few recipes that I have been pinning.  We LOVEd this one.  There is just something about it, maybe its in the sauce.  :)  Anyway, the recipe is from the Girl who Ate Everything.  HERE is the link to the recipe and below is her picture.  They really are yummy!!!

Then I wanted to share this post about husbands.  Have I said how much I adore my Stephen?  I do.  He is amazing.  He is sooo good to help the kids and I.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much he does around here, but sometimes I take it all for granted.  Sometimes I don’t put him first like I should.   Anyway, I just loved Shawni’s thoughts that she shared a few weeks ago on her blog.  I loved this part, “I guess the thing I do more than anything else to put my husband first is that I put him first in my thoughts. Every time I say a personal prayer he is always the first person/thing I pray about”  She shares so many other great ideas and thoughts.  Go over and read her post HERE.

Then to answer questions about “Mommy School”.  It is pretty much just a very conscience effort to spend time with Jerrica.  If I don’t, the day just flies by cleaning, cooking and doing projects without that one on one time with her.  I don’t have lesson plans or a book I go by.  I just spend time with her.  It might be riding our bikes to the mailbox, coloring pictures together, playing Polly Pockets….  This week we used painter’s tape to make a “J” for Jerrica.  Then we finger painted all over the poster board, and peeled the tape off to reveal the “J”.  Jerra was thrilled to show her siblings the masterpiece when they got home.

 

We do have fun…