Ashley turns SEVEN

Tomorrow my Ash will be SEVEN.  I can’t believe how fast time flies.  Today I ran around getting ready for her big day.

She is so much fun with her quick sense of humor.  I’m always sharing an Ash story because she is always doing something funny.  She has an incredible vocabulary that keeps us on our toes.

She is very full of love.  She gets out of the van for school and immediately runs over to hug a couple of the crossing guards then hugs a slew more after school before she gets back into the van.  She is ALWAYS giving someone a hug!  Her compliments that she shares with others are so genuine.  It’s usually a “you are so awesome, that looks amazing, you are the best at….”  She even compliments strangers when she sees the need.  The girl is filled with sweet compliments.

Ashley enjoys dance, theater, and singing.  She is so good at theater because of her many expressions.  We love watching her perform.  Along with the activities that she enjoys, she also is way into fashion and accessories and what looks good.  Whenever I have my huge, grey sweatshirt on she reminds me that I am wearing “boy fashion”.

The girl is also very creative.  She can cut, paint, draw, sculpt just about anything.  A ream of paper doesn’t last very long around our house with Ash.

She is filled with energy that everyone around her can fill.  We are so lucky to have Ashley in our family!  We sure love you Ashley Ann!

Parenting Book

I was sent this book…

(Here is the book link -)

Deliberate Motherhood: 12 Key Powers of Peace, Purpose, Order & Joy

LOVE this book.
So much wisdom in each chapter.
My copy is now highlighted, tabbed and doggy eared.
It is now amongst my favorite parenting books.
Hoping that I can remember and apply all that I learned.

Weekend Update

Jake went with friends to

So Nathan thought he needed to go with friends to the same movie.  Stephen was good to take them.

I met friends at Sheri Dew’s fireside.  LOVE Sheri Dew!  I felt like I was all that when I left there.  She just has a way of making you feel special and important.  She started out talking about influencing others and shared this clip from Candid Camera.  I need to share it with my kids.

Ash had her dress rehearsal with her cute little friend, Sarah.  We are sure excited to see her performance tonight.

We had soccer and basketball games AND a swim meet down at Cheyenne Mountain.  I loved each of these because I could sit and visit with friends.  I was even able to sneak off with my best friend, Stever, for a quick date in between a couple of Jacob’s swimming events.

 

We then ended the weekend with friends over on Sunday for a little pie night.  Love pie and sure LOVE friends!

Special Days

The kids have special days at school where they dress up and learn more about whatever they are studying.  They rotate through stations, and just have a blast doing something other than regular school.

Ashley had Egyptian day. 

They wrote in hieroglyphics using a little chart, made a paper pyramid and hid a mummy in it, they ate “Egyptian” treats, and Ashley’s favorite was making papyrus.  They used paper towel strips and would dip them in a glue/tea solution.  Then would lay them in their tray alternating vertically and horizontally.

Rebecca had explorer day.  She did her report on Marco Pollo.  Her map was incredible.  I love helping with the explorer scavenger hunt.  The kids divide into explorer ships and use a map of the school and playground to find gold coins, which they trade in for chocolate gold coins. 

 

Kaylee had Greek day.  I think she was way excited for the Greek food, to only be disappointed that a Greek restaurant hadn’t catered for the day.  That girl and her food critiquing!  She did enjoy all of the games and activities they had.  She made this fancy t-shirt with friends for the big day!

And my boys … they don’t get the special days anymore, just tests and papers.

Little Red Riding Hood

I read this today and can’t get it out of my mind.  LOVEd it! 

I want to share it with my husband and kids tonight, and knew some of you would find the wisdom in this analogy as well… 

Little Red Riding Hood

Thanks for your thoughts Jenifer!

The Future

Thought of this quote this morning.  It is from 2004 and had been on Pinterest….

“The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known.  There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard.  The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team’s jersey we want to wear!”          

- Elder Jeffrey R Holland

Vote FHE

Thanks for all of your emails and comments about California.  All of you made me excited about the trip and gave me so many ideas.  THANK You!

Stephen shared a lesson tonight about government.  He read DyC 134:1.  He had the kids recite the 12th article of faith.  Then discussed with the kids the importance of voting and being a voice in what you believe.   We finished by voting for our Tuesday’s meals.

It does get a little tricky when you have an even number of 8 voting.  We had a tie on something.  :/  Hope that tomorrow doesn’t end up in a tie!

California

We are going to California,… Disneyland and San Diego.

Just wanted your opinion on places to stay, things to do, places to eat at …  Please let me know any suggestions so I can finalize our plans.  I would LOVE to hear from you!

The Week

Jake, Kaylee and Jerrica all had parties over the weekend.  The other three whined that they didn’t.

We went to sporting events.

 

Projects were made.  My reader couldn’t resist making a Fall leaf bookmark with all of the beautiful leaves outside.  I thought she was going to laminate every leaf in our yard.

We also made some leaf imprints in salt dough, baked, and painted them.

We listened to Halloween songs all week.   Jerrica would lay on her belly in front of her little CD player listening to this particular CD and a Halloween story CD.  She would constantly grin up at me asking me to sit with her and listen.  All of the stories were so cheesy, but her expressions made them worth it.

We did our traditional Halloween lunches for school.  The girls helped me wrap extra juice boxes with streamer paper for Jerrica’s Halloween party and for their lunches.

Then we made these cute donuts for the lunch desserts.  I found the idea on Pinterest and its from the Lovezilla blog.

(photo from www.lovezilla.net)

I took down all of the Halloween decorations the day after Halloween, and put up all of the Thanksgiving decor.  On to Thanksgiving……. :)

Carving

The expressions on the kids’ faces as they scrape out their pumpkins.  The creativity used in each jack-o-lantern.  The declarations of how yummy the pumpkin seeds are.  The joy of just being together!

    

 

Halloween

Every year for a decade now we have went to the Mumma’s for Halloween.  We eat a little pizza and then walk around with friends chatting away as the kids run from house to house. 

Rebecca was a vampire this year.  She was quite frustrated with her fangs and fake blood, so we ditched them and I promised her she still looked awesome!

   

For some reason Ashley had it in her head to be a clown this year. She wanted enough hellium balloons to tie on her candy bucket, that she wouldn’t have to carry it. “Mom, maybe 50 balloons would work”. I didn’t get the 50 balloons, nor the over sized shoes that she thought was necessary. She was a cute clown though!

Kaylee was a witch AGAIN.  She has been a witch for a decade now.  She ditched us to go trick or treating with friends.  I wish that I had a picture of them, but a pic of Kaylee right before she left will have to do…

Jerrica was my little witch.  She was quick to point out that Kaylee was copying her costume.

Rebecca made me smile.  As we were trick or treating, she was constantly eating treats as we were walking.  I couldn’t believe how much she was eating, but then today when I saw Stephen’s desk COVERED with little candy bar wrappers, I knew she was her father’s child.  :)

These two thought they were going trick or treating to EVERY house in the neighborhood, but quickly realized that feet get tired of walking and hands get tired of carrying all of that candy.

Stephen and I only had the three younger ones with us.  The older ones were busy with their friends.  Nathan helped with a fun haunted house in the garage of a friend.  When we were done trick or treating we went over to that neighborhood to check it out.  I was quite impressed with how well they did!

The perfect weather, funny friends, sweet candy and conversation made Halloween AWESOME!

My Witch

Jerrica wanted me to take a picture of her flying.  She envisioned Stephen holding her high in the air or her broom magically taking flight.  She talked about a flying picture as soon as she decided on her witch costume.

Well, Hollywood uses “green screens” for special effects.  Shauna uses “trampolines”.  Jerrica jumped away as I snapped away.  We ended up with pictures of her flying!

She was THRILLED with our result and wants one in a frame in her room.  :)

I however, loved the silhouettes.  As she jumped her spider necklace would sometimes get in the picture.

 

So just remember when you don’t have a green screen just use a trampoline….

Sure loved my little witch this year…