Keeping It Real with the Wyett Family

Making Our Blog Private

2012-02-27T22:28:00.002-08:00

Hey Everyone-

Just wanted to let you all know that due to my husband's new position, we will be making this family blog private as of March. What this means is that you won't be able to access our blog unless you are personally invited and approved by the administrator (which is ME). :) So if you would like to still check in on us from time to time, please shoot me an email (hollidwyett@gmail.com), and I will add you to our "safe" list. Family, I will try to remember to add you all. Let me know if you have any trouble. I would love to continue to share our life and lessons with you all!

Holli

February 2012

2012-02-27T20:17:00.017-08:00

Forgive this long, mish-mash of a post (is mish-mash even a word??). This month has flown by! We have only 10 days until James' graduation! We are all so excited, we can't stand it. I feel like we are in the last stretch of a very long marathon. We are all tired and worn out, but we can see the finish line and it has given us a little boost to push through to the end!

So here is what our family has been up to these past few weeks:

For those of you who know me well, you know that one of my dreams is to live off my own land...I want lots of it with acres for my boys and dog to run, lots of fruit trees, a huge garden, chickens, maybe a jersey cow... and goats! Yes, I would like a little goat farm. At least enough to milk, and make cheese, and keep my pastures looking nice. In the meantime I will live vicariously through some good friends who are blessed with land (and this cool mountain goat)! These friends board and train horses and have a kid's day once a month where they can ride the horses and run around. It is wonderful!

Emma loves it because they have several dogs and she just chases them around for hours. She isn't too sure about the horses. We got her on the mini pony, but that was about it.

Savanna was recently called to be the Mia Maid president at church. She has had several presidency meetings and is taking her calling very seriously. She also had the opportunity to speak in church again, and blew us away with a beautiful talk on being a shining example to those around her.

Our sweet Emma has had an exciting month. She recently had two more teeth break through (one molar and one lateral tooth), and has FOUR more about to break through (3 of which are molars too)! Needless to say she has not been as happy as usual, but you won't see her grumpiness in any of the pictures here!

However, she has this terrible habit of pulling out her own hair! She mostly does it while sleeping, and I have been finding chunks of hair in her crib in the morning. It got to the point where there was a large bald spot right on the top of her head with longer hair on the sides and back. Mullets are not an attractive hairstyle on most people (I might even venture to say all people), especially baby girls! James offered to buzz her head to which I replied, "NO Way!" So I took her to one of those fancy, kid hair cutting places. The lady informs me the only way to even out her hair and have it not look so mullet-ish is to in fact buzz it! I about died watching her buzz off all the fine, blond, baby hair. She is still cute as ever, but is practically bald. It's a good thing hair grows fast! :(

BEFORE

AFTER

Still beautiful...

We have continued with our weekly family hikes! We headed way up Lopez Road to Hi Mountain Road and found a beautiful trail. The next week we went North to Bishop's Peak in San Luis Obispo. There were some incredible views from the top of the peak! There are so many beautiful areas to explore here, and the weather is perfect for hiking. We are going to take a long family hike every week. We all benefit, especially Marley.

Benjamin finished Basketball season. Overall he had a good time, although there were some punks on the team that weren't very nice to him. He says he still wants to play next year, so I guess it didn't affect him too badly. The coach had a big BBQ at his house and the kids had a blast. They have a huge yard with a dirt bike track, a zip-line, a trampoline, a clubhouse, and lots of animals. Super jealous!

Oh, and here is Emma AGAIN! She is talking up a storm these days, and wants to be outside all of the time! She says, "Desiiiiiigh" every morning after breakfast and takes my hand and walks me to the door.

Emma Leigh's first owie...so sad. :(

Emma is getting so big now that she has no room to stretch out her legs in her car seat! I think it's time to flip her around. I had to dig out all of her 18 months clothes. This pink dress and the Winnie the Pooh tennies were actually Savanna's at that age! I didn't save too much of Savanna's things, but I did save a few- it is so fun to see Emma in them!

We have another Shakeology-lover in the family! I can't drink one without Emma following me around saying, "Mmmm..Mmmmm."

I found her in my room, sitting on one of my pillows, with one of my old dolls in one arm and her big stuffed Elephant in the other reading an electronic book!

I am finally finishing some projects I swore I would get done with ALL the extra evening time I would have while my hubby was gone. I didn't realize that I would be absolutely exhausted most evenings and that the list I created was actually insane!! At any rate, I made these kitchen valances for my windows. It helps tremendously when the sun sets, and I can still see my crazy boys on the trampoline. Aren't I domestic?:)

Book worms. :) Speaking of books, I am half-way through an incredible psychology book called Mindset by Carol Dweck. Absolutely riveting. It's an in-depth study of how mindsets can actually determine your personality, behavior, and ultimate success. She also talks about how to change your mindset if it is not working for you. We've all heard, "Mind Over Matter" and know the value of our thoughts, but her examples and explanations have really enlightened me about HOW much my way of thinking actually affects my perception of myself, others, and my life as a whole. Good stuff. I highly recommend it!

Had to post this cute basket my MIL bought me for my farmer's market purchases! I use it every week!! I have another one that is black and white that is handy for just about anything, but mostly we use it to drag stuff up and down the stairs. :)

The boys doing one of my Turbo Fire "Fire Drills." I have one more week of my 90 days of Turbo Fire. Will post some results and pictures over the weekend!

February 2012

Pinewood Derby

2012-02-17T20:47:00.002-08:00

Bradley has had an exciting couple of weeks! He finished his pinewood derby car and was able to race it twice! First he raced it at the Santa Maria Mall at the Scout-O-Rama event, and then he raced it at the church building for the big Pinewood Derby. He didn't win any trophies, but he had a great time and has already said he is going to start designing his car for next year!!

At the Scout-O-Rama event they had dozens of booths set up by the individual troops with fun activities for the boys. We were there for HOURS...they had a blast!

Best news: Dad was able to be home on Saturday for the Scout-O-Rama. So even though he missed the pinewood derby at the church, he was at Brad's very first pinewood derby race. That meant a lot to Brad...and to James. Ben also had a ton of fun at the booths so that helped to ease the jealousy of not having his own car yet.

And the always supportive Sister along for the ride to cheer on Brad and scout out cute boys! ;)

Brad wins his very first heat! He actually won 2 heats out of 4, but they have a crazy accurate computer that measures and averages the speed of the cars and that is how they pick the top 3. So he was fast, but not quite fast enough!

The boys' favorite booth at the Scout-O-Rama!

February 4 - 10, 2012

A Family Hike

2012-02-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

James and I both had very busy, and somewhat stressful, weeks. We are all just so over being a part, the academy, single parenthood...you name it! We decided to take a 24 hour vacation. From Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, we totally relaxed. We put together a large puzzle with the boys, watched TV and movies, cuddled with our baby, and went on a hike. It was just what we needed!

Hiking is one of my newest favorite activities. Now that I am stronger and have more endurance, I enjoy it more than ever. It is so much easier to move around with 60 less pounds on ya! Plus, we live in such a beautiful area. It was good for all of us to get out in the sunshine and breathe some fresh air. We are going to start hiking once a week as a family when James gets home.

January 29, 2012

Totally Random...But Totally Cute

2012-02-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

It has been the usual busy, busy life around here! But lots of cuteness and fun to share before I hit the pillow to prepare for another busy, yet cute, day. :) These are Emma's two dadies (babies). She sleeps with them every night and loves to carry them around. If she only has one, she will say "Uh-Oh" over and over again, until you find the other one!

My boys are just the best big brothers. They are so in-love with Emma, and the feeling is totally mutual. They love to play with her and she follows them around EVERYWHERE. The other night Ben was crying, and Emma walked over to him and put both her hands on his cheeks and just started jabbering away. She was really concerned about him and wouldn't leave him alone until he hugged her and told her he was OK.

We were reading Judy Blume's infamous Superfudge book and there was a part where Fudge (the 4 year old brother) puts trading stamps all over his baby sister and says he wants to trade her in for a new bike. Ben could not believe it. He declared, "I would rather trade one of my own eyeballs than Emma!"

Ben saw Emma carrying around his stuffed dog (she LOVES dogs), so he wrapped it up in a blanket, Brad made a card, and they gave it to her as a present!

She loves her swing set! She loves getting in and out and in and out and...well, you get the picture. It's a super fun game! Come on over, and you can play it with her all afternoon while I do something else...anything else!!

The boys' new shoes. They say that they are magic, and make them run REALLY fast!

Emma Leigh loves Ben's basketball games. So much noise and excitement! Ben is still pretty much just running around but usually in the right direction now. He will occasionally get the ball and frantically search for someone to quickly pass it to before anyone gets near him. He really doesn't like that people charge at him and try to whack the ball out of his hands...basketball may not be his sport after all!

James has not been drinking all of his Shakeology (Tsk Tsk!) so I have been sharing a little with the kids. They LOVE it, of course, because it tastes just like a chocolate ice cream shake. Beachbody is coming out with a vegan Tropical Strawberry flavor next month, and I am stoked! I won't be sharing that one. ;)

Emma is part monkey. She has recently learned to crawl up onto furniture! Like my rocking chair, and her brother's bed, and our couch...

YES, I said couch! I finally convinced my hubby that we needed a couch. I found a steal on craigslist and I have to say that for the first time since we moved our house not only looks normal, but really nice! Sometimes you don't realize how ghetto something is until it isn't ghetto anymore...

The kids love it too!

Emma is going to win her first Oscar before she turns two. Whenever she doesn't like something or gets a minor injury, she puts her hand on her forehead and pretends that she is very upset. You can see here that she is even smiling as she tries to pull one over on us (but to be perfectly honest, it works 90% of the time)!

What else?

James is done with his academy in 5 weeks! He is doing very well. He was chosen to be Class Corporal this week which has put him in a leadership position over his class and has made him the liaison between classmates and staff. It has added stress to his week for sure, but he is doing very well with it! We are so very proud of him.

I am just finishing up 60 days of my Turbo Fire! I will be re-taking my measurements on Sunday, but I am feeling great and am really excited to get these last 10 lbs off!

Savanna decided to pull out of her charter school after all. She has been home one week, and is pouring over her books again and getting a lot more accomplished. If nothing else this experience helped her to be very thankful for her home education, and to see that there are many avenues to learning. She is setting some good goals for herself, and I know that she will do great when she just decides to go for them! Isn't that the truth for all of us?

Well, we were trying to get a video of Emma climbing up on the rocking chair..."trying" being the operative word!

Bradley playing Yankee Doodle. He is still doing great at piano!

January 18 - February 1, 2012

Cub Scout Adventures

2012-02-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

Bradley is LOVING cub scouts! His first den meeting they learned to finger knit. I thought, boys knitting? That will last 5 minutes! Nope!! They all loved it, and Brad came right home and taught Ben. They have now made about 6 or 7 scarves. :)

Brad has been so excited that he has already completed almost 20 activities in his scouting book, and has earned 2 badges and 2 belt loops already! We just incorporate what he wants to work on into our home schooling. Ben is loving all the new ideas and activities too. So far this week (besides knitting) we learned about astronomy, played chess, practiced throwing a baseball, memorized the Cub Scout Promise and Motto, and have been working on Brad's Pinewood Derby Car.

Wonderful friends have been helping Brad with his car since his Dad is away. They were kind enough to send me pictures! I am posting a lot (mainly for James' benefit), but you can really see the thought and time put into this car... excuse me, I mean truck! They are meeting one last time to put the final touches (and wheels) on tomorrow, and then it will be ready to race! Brad is SO excited. We are going to a Boy Scout Expo on Saturday, and then his race will be the following Friday.

Making the plans...

It is going to be a red truck with white racing stripes- awesome!

Finger Knitting: The Tutorial

January 17 - 26, 2012

Bradley's Baptism!

2012-01-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

Bradley was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on January 21, 2012. It was a near perfect day. His father was able to baptize him, I spoke at the baptism along with one of Bradley's primary teachers, Savanna played the piano beautifully, many of our friends and family joined us, and I even fit back into my size 6 dress for the occasion! Bradley was so excited to be baptized. He is our spiritual giant and really seemed to grasp the importance and commitment involved in following Jesus Christ by entering the waters of baptism. He was especially excited to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is given to all people who have been baptized to help them in various ways. He is basically a spiritual messenger from God who helps us know the truth of all things, feel God's love, and know what choices to make to keep us on the right track. The Holy Ghost will be a constant companion to members of Christ's church who keep the commandments. Bradley is now one of these members. :)

The boys in their white jumpsuits preparing for baptism.

And after!

After the baptism family and few of Bradley's friends joined us at the house for a small party. We ate lots of yummy food, the kids played games, we sang to Bradley and he opened all of his presents....he really was made to feel special!

Benjamin and cousin, Charles. Two handsome guys.

Grandma Kathleen surprised Bradley with a beautiful set of scriptures with his name engraved on them. He has been diligently reading them every day, and brings them to church on Sundays as well.

And because I am a foodie, I had to take some shots of the good food!

Again we are so proud of you Bradley! This is one big step towards receiving the priesthood and entering the temple. We love you so much!!

January 21, 2012

The Mom Behind the Camera :)

2012-01-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, this post is for my bestie Jackie who is always asking to see pictures of me on this blog! Here I am! About a size and a half left to lose, but looking SO much better. :) It's funny because I have been thin practically my whole life, and I totally took it for granted. Since struggling with my weight, I am so much more excited about getting thin than I ever was when I was thin. I am actually stronger and healthier now than I have ever been even when I was much smaller. I feel like I need an entire make-over to celebrate! I have spent so many years buying clothing and accessories based on the price tag or comfort (or just taking what others give me). I think I have finally found my "style," and I can't wait to get these last few pounds off and start investing in a quality, hip, "new" look!

I also got my hair cut this week- trying the bangs again. I think I like them!

The lady also layered my hair in the back- makes it look so nice and full! I love having curly hair. Who would have EVER thought I would have naturally curly hair? It was fine and straight as an arrow the first 30 years of my life! Sometimes those hormonal changes can be good. :)

If anyone needs some motivation or wants to know more about what I am doing health and fitness-wise, click on my Beachbody and Shakeology links on the right hand-side. I would love to help you feel as good as I do!! XOXO

January 17, 2012

Bradley's Birthday

2012-01-13T22:42:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Bradley turned 8 yesterday! He received a bunch of presents, but one of his favorites was his new BMX bike. It even has stunt pegs on it which he thinks is very cool. He taught himself to ride it in less than an hour- I was impressed!

James was able to stay an extra day and spend the day with Brad on his actual birthday! We went to the Bob Jones Trail and he rode his bike about 3 miles. We came home and BBQ-ed, watched Star Wars, and played with all his other new toys. It was a really great day! My sweet husband spent the majority of it cleaning out the garage to get everything ready for Bradley's upcoming party. Savanna and I even were able to sneak away and do some clothes shopping. I've had to get rid of practically all of my clothes! I am not in the size I want yet, but I needed to get a few things to get me through the next couple of months. I am starting to really enjoying shopping again...this could be BAD. :)

Poor Ben has been having a rough couple of weeks with all the excitement over Brad and his birthday and baptism. We got him a little something to ease the blow of Brad's bike and other presents. It helped...a little. :) One of the other gifts we got Bradley was a beginner chess set. It's called No Stress Chess, and I highly recommend it if you have small kids and want to teach them chess. The boys played it several times yesterday, and they practically know how to play Chess now. Super fun to see my 6 year-old beat his 8 year-old brother at Chess! That cheered Ben up a little too!!

And meet the newest Boy Scout! He has his first Wolf den meeting tonight! He says he's nervous because he doesn't really know what scouting is about or if the other boys will like him. This is all new to me too, but I can't imagine anyone not liking Bradley! He is such a wonderful, kind, intelligent boy. I have no doubts that he will do great in scouting, earn a ton of badges, and make some great friends.

Happy Birthday, Brad! We love you tons!!

January 16 - 17, 2012

A Brief Summary

2012-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

To be very honest I haven't had the time to blog. Soon after Christmas I became very ill. I was sick for close to two weeks, but finally broke down and saw my homeopath and was completely better within 3 days of taking the remedy he gave me! I wish the natural, more holistic healing wasn't so costly. Even though Dr. Fine's fees are very reasonable for what he does, it is still an expense that we have not budgeted for. I just kept thinking I could kick the illness on my own, but my body needed a little extra help. I am very grateful for him. He took my call on a Sunday afternoon and I was at his home within an hour...I guess that is the added perk of the natural, holistic way. You'd never reach your MD on a Sunday, let alone be invited to his home for an appointment!

I had just finished my first 30 days of Turbo Fire before I got sick. During those 30 days I lost another 5 lbs and 6 inches! I did have to take a break while I was down, but I am back on the ball this week and looking forward to losing my last 10 inches!! I even went out on a limb and ordered my dress for James' graduation- it is amazing and they only had it in a size 6 which I guess is okay since that is the size I will be if I lose these last 10 inches.

James is doing great! He is getting a bit tired of the song and dance of the academy, but they finished their physical training and have now moved on to some of the more "fun" training. He was able to shoot guns for 2 weeks, and now they are spending a good deal of time beating each other up (which he says is super fun too). He has some crazy bruises, mostly from falling on his own baton. You'd be amazed at how hard it is to do hand-to-hand combat with a gun belt and baton around your waist! He's out right now at a night class learning how to search buildings...sounds spooky to me, but he thinks it's awesome. I guess that's why he's the officer and I'm the stay-at-home mom. :)

Our little Emma's personality is really starting to shine. She is such a girlie girl. She loves putting on my shoes and walking around in them (see the video below). She has also starting to say a lot more words. She can't say the "b" sound and replaces all b's with the "d" sound. So when she says bye, she says "Dye!" She says dady (for baby), and Dadley (for Bradley). She calls both Brad and Ben Dadley. Fortunately Ben thinks that is hilarious! She is becoming more and more independent which I am really enjoying. She still wants me a lot, and still nurses quite frequently, but once she is full and clean she will play for hours on the floor with her toys and especially her books. She is eating a ton, and has put on some weight finally. I haven't weighed her recently but you can see that cute toddler tummy poking out of some of her shirts. It's almost time to move her into 18 month clothes!

Bed time is always fun. She gets super hyper right before bed and runs around the house squealing and destroying the place.

Then she gets real serious and quiet...that's when you know it's coming.

Total meltdown! And...it's off to bed!

The boys have been learning about money. We got them an awesome game to learn the value of coins and to help them learn to count money. It's called Exact Change and you play it a lot like Uno but with cards that display nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, etc. They were so excited they went to the bank and traded in some of their quarters for half dollars and gold dollars.

Right before bed the other night they both lost a tooth! What are the chances? I was very happy because Brad lost his first and that usually puts Ben in a"woe is me, my brother's going to get a dollar from the tooth fairy and I'm going to get nothing" mood. But he had a tooth that was super loose too, and all it took was one tug and voila!

Ben calls this his headstand squat. Looks painful to me, but he does it a lot so it must be fun!

All of my kids love to read. Even little Emma will bring you books and sit quietly while you read to her. I LOVE it. My boys read a lot at the table while they are eating (which is all day- so they read A LOT). Brad will often have the newspaper or the funnies out while he eats- he's an old soul, that one.

Savanna is not enjoying her Charter school anymore. She has realized that with public school comes a lot of required, "busy" work that keeps her from learning about the things she really loves. We are trying to figure out the best course of action to take. We originally agreed to keep her in there at least until the end of the year to give it a fighting chance. I have seen some good growth, and I'm not fully convinced she has learned all she can from this experience just yet. But either way I know she will find her way. We may pull her out and have her finish out the year on her own, and then possibly have her start taking some online college classes in the Fall. Lots of choices.

Well, it is Friday night and I am SO looking forward to my husband coming home tomorrow! There is a possibility that he may be able to stay until Monday and celebrate Brad's actual birthday with him because it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Misc cuteness

Emma tries to walk in my flip flops

January 2 - 13, 2012

And A Happy New Year!

2012-01-13T21:05:00.001-08:00

As usual we put together our "Dream Posters" for the New Year. It's always a fun and therapeutic project to think of what you want to accomplish at the beginning of a new year and hang up your inspiration to remind you throughout the months to come. I have found that as I get older, my goals become fewer...probably because I keep adding children and other great endeavors to my life! But it has become more about quality than quantity. This year I am choosing to focus on my top 3 priorities (this is utilizing Chalene Johnson's book "PUSH" which is all about goal setting) which are: My relationship with God, My Health, and My relationship with my family. Of course there is still much to do within these 3 priorities but I have plan and it's going to be great!

No surprise that Bradley's poster revolved around his faith. He wants to read scriptures, listen better at General Conference, learn to play hymns on the piano, and be more like Jesus. He is SO excited about his upcoming baptism. He talks about it every single day. He is having his baptism and a party, and getting a new bike, and starting cup scouts- it's a lot of excitement for him and his poster shows it!

I love Benjamin. I am always impressed with his posters. He said that he wants to get strong, and learn to surf, and go on a boat, and listen to music...and follow the Prophet. :)

Savanna poster's a bit blurry...and honestly it looks like more of a catalog for clothing and accessories than a dream poster to me. She did add the 3 main points of our mission statement in the middle (To be obedient, respectful, and grateful). Her reasoning was that if she learns to do these three things well, she should have no problem receiving permission and the means to have all the other stuff on her poster. I get it...sort of...

We actually took a break from schooling for 2 whole weeks! We haven't done that on purpose (no illnesses or births or other interruptions) in a very long time. It was SO fun! Savanna enjoyed sleeping in and playing with her hair and makeup. I had a lot of extra time to do some organizational things around the house and lounge around a bit. I spent a good deal of time planning out Brad's baptism and party...it was very nice. We even made it out to the beach!

Have I mentioned lately that we live in the most beautiful place ever??

December 17, 2011 - January 1, 2012

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-13T19:56:00.001-08:00

I am finally getting around to sharing our Christmas pictures! All I can say is that it was a wonderful, magical holiday season this year. James was able to be home for 3 nights and 3 days, we had the missionaries over for our big Christmas Eve dinner, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights, we went to church Christmas morning, had a wonderful brunch and opened all of our presents, rested, played, and read scriptures- it doesn't get much better than that!

We made lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner- I found gluten-free brown rice lasagna noodles at the health food store, and it turned out AMAZING!

We introduced our new tradition to the children: letting them open one gift on Christmas Eve (their new pjs), but then also let them each open one more just for fun!

Ben opened up some dinosaur K'NEX.

Do you think that Bradley likes his dart board??

Savanna made out this Christmas! Clothes, money, make-up, a spiral curling iron, more clothes, a smash book, an itunes gift card....yeah, she was a very happy girl!

Emma loves her Little People farm!

And her new tent. :)

But the hit of the gifts was the boys' Nerf guns! I have always thought that my boys would never have toy guns but with their dad being a peace officer and all, and them being boys, they have turned almost anything into a "weabon" or a gun! I have to say these Nerf guns are pretty cool. We bought a couple of extra so Dad and I could play too. Mostly Dad plays...I think he had even more fun than the boys!

After Dad shot Brad in the eye, we started making them wear protection!

Emma's second Christmas dress.

It was a long, but wonderful day! The kids played with all their toys, Savanna disappeared into the bathroom for most of the day, we ate leftovers, and watched movies. It was awesome!

The day after Christmas my sister and her family came for a visit. Her daughters are adorable! They played nicely with Emma while their dad, James, and my boys spent the majority of the day having Nerf gun wars, and building Lego and Hotwheels sets. I've never seen two grown men having so much fun (see the videos below if you don't believe me)! They broke into teams and had home bases and strategy meetings and everything. My boys were in absolute Heaven. It was so fun to see them bonding, and just being plain ol' boys! They don't get much of that roughhousing with Dad gone.

Little Gabby.

And Princess Sofia.

Ben got a basketball hoop! He has been having so much fun practicing his skills. Bradley has too. That's the cool thing about having kids so close in age. They are possessive of their new toys for about a week or so, and then they just start sharing everything. It's not fun to play by yourself, so it just makes sense. So really it's like they each received double the presents! :)

And Brad got a Hotwheels track that attaches to the wall. I have been amazed that most of it has actually stayed on the wall despite the dog and baby running around!

The Nerf Gun Wars....to our surprise, Ben was a little timid in these wars and Brad was relentless! Ben hid most of the time while Brad ran around like a mad man shooting anything in his sight!

The Nerf gun war ended when Brad and Ben collided, scratching Brad's face pretty good. He took it in stride and moved on to his other toys. So far that (and getting shot in the eye- poor Brad!) have been the only casualties!

And Legos...

And Hotwheels...

I have not been able to get Emma to drink out of a cup, despite buying almost every kind of sippy cup they have on the shelves! But she saw Sofi drinking out of this one and took to it. I went out the next day and bought 8 of them! She has been using them every since. Go figure they are the simple "take and toss" plastic cups. No fancy straws, no handles or special features...but she likes them! :)

Brad's Creations.

Nerf War

The Battle Continues

Emma opens her present

December 24 - 26, 2011

Teenagers...I Don't Buy It!

2011-12-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

I think teenagers are a myth. By my own definition, a myth is simply a story people come up with to explain something they don't understand. Most people will agree that they don't understand teenagers. They don't understand the way that teenagers think or speak or dress or behave, and have created a "story" that justifies somehow this craziness. I don't buy it! I don't think that young people need to become teenagers at all! I think they can skip most of the drama and misery, and go straight from childhood to being a youth. They'll be much better off, and so will their parents!

What is the difference between a teenager and a youth? I came across this insightful article called Youth v. Teenager by Michael Platt, Ph.D.

You can access the pdf here: http://tjedonline.com/docs/YOUTHvTEENAGER.pdf

Dr. Platt claims that the teenager saga was in fact created, and is not very old at all. The teenager did not exist before WWII, and was created mostly by neglect and parents allowing other sources, television being a big culprit, to educate their own children.

He describes the youth as "...young people who wanted to become adults. However confused, wayward, or silly they acted, however many mistakes they made, they looked to the future, wanted to make it different from their youth, and planned to...Youths associated with other youths, sometimes dressed alike, talked alike, but never separated entirely from their teachers and parents. When you saw youths with their parents, they were not pretending to be unrelated to the family. After all, they wanted one day to become like their parents, or like their grandparents, or like their teachers. Their heroes and heroines were such people."

I think we would all agree that most young people would not be described like that now. It is very much all about them, all of the time. They do not want to prepare for adulthood or work hard for what they want or need. They have found other heroes through the media and various other places that have displaced the parents' power to influence them for good. So many factors created this "Me Monster," this teenager. Divorce, television, lack of supervision, lack of interaction with extended family- especially with older people such as grandparents, lack of faith or a moral compass, too much time on their hands to get into trouble, or not enough time left alone to pray, ponder, and plan their futures all have contributed to this sad tale. The modern world is amazing, but kids these days (teenagers at least) never give themselves quiet. They constantly have cell phones, TVs, gaming systems, or music plugged in their ears. They have become "parent deaf," and tune out the world if it does not tell them what they want to hear.

BUT, I believe there is hope!! Now in the midst of raising one of my own, I tell Savanna on a daily basis to rid herself of this silly myth that she has to be teenager. To skip it all and go straight to being a youth! To use this time to prepare for her adulthood. To strive to love learning and growing, and to listen to those that have gone before her and learn from their successes and failures. I believe that many tribulations can be avoided by learning from another's experience. Many of these vital lessons and values can be found in classic works. We have also limited many distractions in our home that have a tendency to drown out thought, reason, and overall growth (the time-fillers and time-wasters of the modern world), and spend ample time together as a family unit. We give her lots of time to read, discuss, plan, and learn new skills. Of course our faith has played a big part in helping her focus more on "youthly" attributes as well. In our church the programs for young people are even called Youth Programs, Young Women, Young Men, etc. She is not perfect and still has many interactions with her peers, many who are in the teenage category, but I see her striving to do better.

Teenagers want so badly to be free to do whatever they want but even when they are given these freedoms, they are still unhappy. There is always something ELSE they need to be happy. So really there is no point in striving to be a teenager. They may appear to have more fun and privileges on the surface but they will always choose to be miserable! James and I have made it clear that if Savanna acts like a teenager, she will be treated like one. You can not trust a teenager. They do not act with reason or think of the consequences of their choices and therefore have limited choices to protect themselves and others. A youth, on the other hand, weighs his options thoughtfully and acts according to what is best, not only for him, but for the majority. He still makes mistakes, yes, but feels genuine shame and tries to do better. A youth will be given many more privileges than a teenager because he will handle them responsibly. He will also be happy with what he has been given while still looking forward to earning more freedoms in the future.

Many parents out there are raising teenagers and then reward them for their bad behavior with the tools that are creating the problems in the first place! Savanna sees her friends treating their family members badly and then getting a new iphone for Christmas...it frustrates her that her life doesn't work like that. But the bottom line is that when she enters adulthood, she won't have the teenage excuse to fall back on. If she doesn't learn to work and act appropriately NOW, she will not get the desired results in the future- that is just life!! I hope that she writes her own story...not a myth or a copy of someone else's story...but HER genuine story, one with purpose and lasting joy. And I believe that transitioning from a child to a youth is the only way to do this.

That's my soapbox for tonight.

December 22, 2011

Our Funny Family

2011-12-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

James is officially HALF WAY through his academy!!

Life here has hit a good groove. I feel like James and I are on the same page and even though we are very much living separate lives right now, we are still connected and united.

The kids and I have hit a good groove too. I have finally started getting up early! 5:15 am I feed the baby, pray and study my scriptures, workout, and then shower all before the rest of the clan is up! Having all this time to get centered and take care of myself has revolutionized my day and my mothering. I am so less stressed out or resentful because I'm not trying to take care of all my stuff while four children also need my attention! NOW, I just need to get to bed earlier so I can be consistent with this new routine! I have set up a study area next to my bed and am beginning my study of the Doctrine and Covenants tomorrow. I am very excited as this is the only standard work of the Church I have not read in its entirety! I'm not sure how that is possible, but I am going to remedy that next year. James suggested I use the Institute manual, and I am going to do just that. I am also going to set up my workout area the night before with the DVD that I need and all the equipment ready to go. With a plan and a little preparation there will be no room for error!

The kids and I have been having our Family Home Evening lessons regularly. Every Monday night we set aside some time for a little lesson or activity to help bring us together or to work on things that will make our family stronger. We wrote a family mission statement a few family nights ago. I've been wanting to do that for years, and it actually came out very smoothly and simply. The children wrote part of it, and we have started reciting it at our family devotionals each morning. The first part says, "As we strive to be obedient, respectful, and grateful we will create a loving and happy home..." Savanna came up with this part! We have been taking the opportunity this holiday season to focus on the gratitude aspect of our family mission statement. We made a list of 100 things we were grateful for on this white board. It didn't take long at all and the kids were amazed at how much they were grateful for when we were done! I had this grandiose idea of memorizing The Living Christ as a family. I figured if we focused on Christ we would be the most obedient, respectful, and grateful family around! I think it was a little to much to tackle right now, so we've decided instead to memorize several verses in Doctrine and Covenants Section 88 that discuss how the Lord wants us to organize our homes to be more like the temple and focused more on Christ. So far we have memorized verses 119 and 120- I'm feeling impressed with ourselves!

Darn camera blurs 9 out of 10 of the pictures I take! Any way, our sweet Emma Leigh is doing well. She recovered from her illnesses and is toddling around causing destruction everywhere she goes! Just this past week it has been especially destructive. I turn my head for a minute and ALL the DVDs are on the floor or all my Tupperware is scattered around the kitchen. Toys are everywhere, and she has just figured out how to open her dresser and loves to take out all her clothes and unfold all of her blankets and carry them around with her! All harmless and pretty easy to pick up, but it is a continual battle! On a happier note, due to my new morning routine, she now sleeps from 7:15 pm to 5:15am, nurses, and then goes back to bed until 8:15! It's wonderful, and she is so much happier in the mornings now that she is getting more sleep (and so am I)!

Benjamin is still playing basketball and assures me every week that he is the best player and can make a goal any time he wants (I keep telling him they're not called goals, but he still calls them that). He keeps trying to find ways to go back on the roof. He took off his shirt while jumping on the trampoline and threw it up on the roof. He comes running in and tells me he has to go on the roof to retrieve it. I don't think so, Ben. Nice try. Good job losing your shirt! He is such a funny kid. I had to make a return the other day. All the children were speculating whose gift I was returning and if it was because they had done something wrong. Benjamin informed Savanna that it was her present I was taking back because she isn't grateful and doesn't take care of her crap! Oh my...I wonder WHERE he heard that! I'm working on being more subtle and diplomatic in my comments to my children...it's a definite work in progress. :)

Speaking of Savanna...we went to Vons last night and the bag boy was totally flirting with her! She was giggling and smiling at him (in fact, she didn't STOP smiling all night)! He was at least 17 or 18...not cool! I know she is a beauty, but she is still so young to me when I look at her. It is all happening so fast. I don't think I'm ready!

Bradley is doing so well at his piano! Like everything that boy does, he gives it his all! He is getting so excited about his baptism! He will be getting baptized January 21st at 11am. He is also excited about starting cub scouts. We are going to get his uniform and all of his patches and accessories next week so he is ready to start right after he turns 8! He will be a wolf. I don't know much about cub scouts but I have signed up to be a parent committee member and have a feeling I am going to learn quickly!

Emma still loves Marley!

That's the skinny, folks!

December 12 - 22, 2011

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-21T21:06:00.001-08:00

Traditions are so fun. Every year they bring a sense a spirit to the holidays. They can be as simple as hanging up each Christmas card on our wall for everyone to enjoy, or as complex as traveling long distances to see extended family like I did as a child almost every year for Christmas. I have thought at length about the type of traditions I want to create with my family. There are a few things that we do that have just become traditions naturally, and others that have taken greater effort to repeat year after year. Here are a few of our favorites:

Instead of the Advent calendars with the little pieces of chocolate counting down the days until Christmas, each year I pick 24 Christmas classics to read to the children. When our pile of books is gone, Christmas has arrived! This has been such a fun tradition. There are books we pick year after year because we love the stories and we can't imagine not reading them during this time of year. Above is my all-time favorite Christmas story by Patricia Polacco, "Christmas Tapestry." See if your local library has a copy. I can't get through this book without getting teary (and for those of you who know me well, that is saying a lot!). It is a beautiful story about Christmas miracles and true love. On Christmas Day we torture the children by reading the account of Christ's birth in Luke before we open presents. It's short...and they survive!

Other traditions that have happened more naturally include enjoying our big "Christmas feast" on Christmas Eve and inviting the missionaries to join us. I do enjoy cooking but I don't want to spend my entire Christmas day in the kitchen. I always make extra food on Christmas Eve so we have plenty of yummy leftovers for Christmas Day, and we can all relax. This year we are having spinach lasagna with Caesar salad, whole wheat Tuscan garlic bread, and apple cider. :)

We also do our dream posters every New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. The kids love this craft, and it's fun to project all the goals and growth we want to achieve the following year.

And lastly, this year I am starting a new Christmas tradition. This is one that many families do, but I think it is practical and fun (two of my favorite words as a Mom!). We are going to allow the kids to each open one present on Christmas Eve night- it will be some comfy, new PJ's. Kids always need new PJ's, and it will also be great to have them all in PJ's that don't have holes or stains for Christmas pictures the next morning! Ah...you see my genius??

Merry Christmas, again! I am feeling so grateful and excited for this holiday! I can't wait to share all of our pictures and festivities!

Dec 22, 2011

Hope for the Holidays Benefit Concert

2011-12-21T20:44:00.001-08:00

Our boys were asked to sing in a holiday concert benefiting the San Luis Obispo County Food Bank. It was held at a local Seventh-day Adventist Church this past Saturday night. They were the only children asked to participate, and they ended up singing two duets: When Joseph Went to Bethlehem and The Nativity Song. They did SO well and had an absolute blast (They love to sing and perform for people)! The evening was very sweet and fun with local talent singing and playing instruments. It was a great way to really kick off the celebration of our Savior and hone into what Christmas is really about. Bradley and Benjamin will be singing again in church on Christmas morning which I am really excited about. I am so happy that Christmas falls on a Sunday this year! Not only do I get my husband home, but we get to go to church and hear beautiful music and see all of our friends- it's going to be wonderful! Merry Christmas, Everyone!!

My Beauty Queens.

Princess Emma Leigh in her Christmas dress and Mary Janes.

The Program

The Biography Table

They boys' first song! Brad was a little nervous, but he ended up belting it out in the end!

And, their last song! I only recorded the first 3 verses- they sang all five and were cute as ever!!

December 17, 2011

2011-12-11T21:12:00.000-08:00

True to my word, I started my Turbo Fire program on December 1st! The jury was out for a few days because the moves were fast and I had a lot of new choreography to learn. Surprisingly after doing it for a little over a week, I am able to keep up pretty well. It is super fun- mostly kickboxing and hip hop mixed together. Great music, and I really, really like the trainer Chalene Johnson. I thought she was going to be a little too peppy for my tastes, but she really gets me motivated and keeps it fun. I will be doing it until the end of February and will be in my size 6 sexy dress a week and a half later for my hubby's big graduation!

Chalene also came out with an awesome book called "PUSH." It is basically a 30 day goal setting seminar in book form. Savanna and I are reading it together and watching a series of videos she put out that go along with the chapters. You read a chapter per night and do the "homework" she assigns and by the end, you have a blueprint for success. It's been a great project to do together. Savanna really has amazed me with some of her goals, and I'm excited about her being exposed to another mentor to walk her through the steps of achieving them. Savanna is starting to get the hang of her Charter School as well. Balancing her time has been a struggle with having school 2 days per week and assignments that are due on specific days. I'm not sure she was quite ready for all of this required work, but she is learning some great tools and skills in the process. Many pros and cons when teaming up with a public school. But I keep reminding her that it is HER education. She can make it as deep and interesting and complete as she chooses. Her teacher is great, and is willing to personalize lessons to help Savanna achieve her educational goals. There is the political mumbo-jumbo (attendance, state testing etc.) and busy text book type work which I think is such a waste. But, good things are happening and overall I feel good about her being here right now. We are going to give it until the end of June to decide if there are more pros than cons for continuing with the Charter.

Savanna is still involved in her youth colloquium. I am leading one this week about The Secret Garden and then in December we will read and discuss Anne of Green Gables. I loved the message of The Secret Garden. I read it with the boys and for those of you that haven't read it, it is basically about a young boy and girl who have fixed beliefs about their health and capabilities. They find this Secret Garden, and as the plants and animals come alive in the garden these youngsters find that when they change the way they THINK, they begin to come alive too. They call it magic. I asked the boys what the magic was and Brad responded quickly, "It's the garden, of course!" Ben interrupted, "Nope. It's believing in yourself. That really comes from Heavenly Father." That kid really does get a lot more than he lets on some times!

I am sad to say, that we held our last adult colloquim. I have been hosting it for two years, but the members have been dwindling and the last two said they weren't available for next year. I thoroughly enjoyed those meetings, and have tried many times to invite others to join us. People are just so busy, and frankly I don't think they see the point in reading and discussing classic literature. I'm thinking of selecting one or two books next year and doing an online book group. Maybe a Facebook group or something informal where people can comment when they have time, and I can post some questions or thoughts of my own. Not sure just yet.

Our goofy boys. James recently found out that he was the oldest member of his class at the academy. Apparently the other cadets now refer to him as Grandpa which our children thought was hilarious. Here is Brad doing his impression of Grandpa, aka Dad. :)

He runs fast for a Grandpa!

November 28 - December 11, 2011

2011-12-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas is approaching! I finished ALL my shopping this week, despite our setbacks (mostly due to the fact that I did almost all my shopping online- LOVE it!). The boys sang at the Ward Christmas Party (see video below). Ben was a shepherd and Bradley was one of three wise men. James came home on Saturday and put up our Christmas lights...so we are ready! This is our first Christmas in our new home. We never bothered with exterior lights on our rentals, but it seemed like a must this being our first home and our first Christmas celebrated in it. They are simple, but pretty. We figure we'll buy a little more each year and pretty soon our house will be very festive.

Benjamin kept telling James to be careful on the ladder. My favorite part was when Ben offered to help James decorate the top story because he was really good at walking on roofs.

My attempt at getting a picture for the Christmas card. This was the best one. I'll post the rest, but my Sis is going to try to work some magic on Photo Shop to get it just right!

And here are my darling nieces, Sofi and Gabby! They are coming up the day after Christmas, and I can't wait to see them!

Boys Sing at the Ward Christmas Party

They have also been asked to sing at a benefit concert for the local food bank. They'll be singing two duets next Saturday night- will video for sure!!

December 10 - 11, 2011

The Footage You've ALL Been Waiting For...

2011-12-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Benjamin's basketball season is in full swing and is seriously the high light of my week! His face is lit up like a Christmas tree the entire time as he runs back and forth and bounces around the court. It also helps that his team has won their first two games. Benjamin, himself, had absolutely nothing to do with those wins but he is excited nonetheless! Ben just is in his own little world. He likes to run, but doesn't really bother to run where the ball is (and often times will be on the opposite side of the court when EVERYONE else and the ball are at the other end- see video below). He has gotten the ball twice and has managed to dribble and pass it to another team mate though. He's definitely learning and like I said, he is having so much fun. There is nothing cuter than one of Benjamin's big toothless grins. Just makes my whole day!

Speaking of toothless grins, Ben lost his first tooth today...well, he lost his first tooth naturally! He is very excited to see if the Tooth Fairy brings him a dollar. :)

The Ben Basketball Bounce

"Ben, the ball is OVER THERE!" :)

He FINALLY got the ball!

December 3 - December 11, 2011

Surprise!

2011-12-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

With the help of James' sister Wendy Sue, Emma and I were able to drive down to Camarillo and surprise James for his birthday. We had just surprised him the week before for Thanksgiving, so this really took him by surprise! Wendy stayed with the older three, and Em and I arrived at James' hotel right around when he got out of class. To be honest, it was an uneventful night. I made us a quick dinner, we put the baby to bed, and James was asleep by 9:15pm. This is not an unusual occurrence when we get together. We are both so overwhelmed and tired with all that we are doing separately. I think also that we both feel so much more at peace when we are together and that helps us relax and sleep better. At any rate, it was wonderful to see him on his actual birthday, even for a little bit.

James is doing so awesome at the academy. He aces every test, he is keeping up with the rigorous physical training, and even ran 5 miles this past week (his longest run ever). He is learning some great tools about controlling and disciplining himself (among many others). I am also learning a great deal about having confidence in my abilities to run the house and take care of the children on my own. We have both found that we are much stronger and braver than we thought possible at the beginning of this adventure. The Lord is blessing us a ton as well, and answering our prayers left and right. We will still be so relieved when it is all over and we can get on with our normal lives, but I hope that we take all this learning and growth with us into the next phase of our lives. I'm sure we will. Only thirteen more weeks!

The baby and I ended up staying Friday as well so we could have another night with James. It was a really fun day. I realized that I have never been alone with Emma for an entire day since she has been born! I've always had James or one of the other kids (or all of them) with me or other family members. It was so nice. We went for a long run, had a picnic in the park, watched HGTV (that is a dangerous station to watch when you own a home!), and napped. Then when James came home, we took him out for a belated birthday dinner. He got to choose ANYWHERE he wanted to go...it was his birthday after all. Did he choose burgers or pizza? Nope. He chose, of all places, a GREEK restaurant! Who is this impostor?? He ordered a chicken wrap with hummus and pita bread, and I ordered a falafel and chicken plate. The food was awesome! We are definitely going to return to this place!

Those were the highlights of our trip. The baby did not sleep well the first night, and was up almost all night the second night with a slight fever. Her fever continued and rose for four days and nights. I thought maybe she was teething because there were no other symptoms at all except that she was tired and refused to eat anything. On day five she broke out from the crown of her head to her toes in spots. The Dr. confirmed that our poor little Emma had contracted the German measles, aka Rubella.

You can't really see the spots too well in the pictures, but there were literally hundreds and hundreds. Fortunately, Rubella is much milder than the regular measles and requires no medical treatment at all. It's called the 3 day measles and true to it's name was gone in exactly 3 days after the rash broke out. She is back to running around, eating, and being as cute as ever (And, she did break a tooth during this week also- poor gal!). So far everyone else is fine. Tired and little stressed out, but fine. :)

At Daddy's Hotel

Still At Daddy's Hotel :)

Last One...For this post :)

December 1 - November 9, 2011

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2011-11-28T22:36:00.000-08:00

We decided to decorate for Christmas on Sunday! The house feels so warm and cozy. We ended up putting the tree in the school room/nursery so the dog and baby didn't destroy it all in one day. That was a good move! I can go in there and read, or the boys can do their lessons next to the lights, but then we can shut the door so Trouble 1 (Marley) and his side kick, Trouble 2 (Emma), can't get in!

Once again, the boys built our fake tree. We are going to try to buy some garland so our house smells like pine though. I love Christmas time!!

November 27, 2011

Emma is 15 Months!

2011-11-28T22:15:00.000-08:00

My blogging would not be complete without updated pictures of our little princess. Oh how I love this girl! She brings so much laughter and joy to our home. In the midst of teenage drama and little boy strife she makes us laugh and brings us together. We can be in the middle of a battle of tears and yelling and she will toddle in and say "Hi Na Na" or "Hi Mama" and we just start smiling. If anyone is upset she goes over and hugs them. She loves to blow kisses, especially at her Daddy. She says many words now: Hi, Mama, Daddy, Doggie, Na Na, All Done, Up, Down, No, Mmm, Uh Oh, Weee, Nigh Nigh, Ow, and Hey. Pretty much covers her needs. :)

She is a little monkey. She loves to climb on things- chairs, couches, beds, dogs, people. She recently has discovered a love for slides. She loves going to the park or just playing in the front yard with the two little plastic slides we have for her. Except she refuses to go up the ladders. She only likes to try to climb up the slide itself. She can do it with a little help, then turns around and slides down and tries to climb back up again. Never ending fun!

I wish I could say she was sleeping better these days. She still thinks she needs milk at 2 or 3 in the morning. I make her wait until 4:30, but am going to try to extend that until 5:15 pretty soon. I am hoping to start getting up at 5:15 to give her a little milk and put her back to bed. Then my goal is to stay up to pray, read my scriptures, exercise and shower before she and the rest of the crew are up for the day. I am excited to find some time for myself...I wish it wasn't quite that early but it will have to do! Seminary days add to her sleeping troubles. I usually just get her back to sleep around 5 and then have to wake her up an hour later for the carpool. I put her in her car seat, PJ's and all, and off we go! She's been a real trooper about it, but it is a serious pain!

Like my other 3, she began walking at 14 months. She has been taking a step here or there for a couple of months but she starting really walking last week and now she pretty much just walks everywhere! It's amazing how fast kids learn when they want to do something.

Don't let that sweet face completely fool you. She has quite a temper on her when she doesn't get her way! She will scream "HEY!" if you take something from her or tell her no. She has been known to throw herself on the floor, and lately she has started to smack people (mostly her siblings) if they do something she doesn't like. In her defense though, they often pick her up or move her body around like she is a little toy. She is getting to that age where she wants to do everything herself and she doesn't like to be manipulated so she let's them know loud and clear! I don't know where she gets her fiery attitude from! :)

November 3 - 8, 2011

Fun!

2011-11-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

Our boys decided that they wanted to look like their dad. So when he was home yesterday, he shaved their heads. I always think they are adorable, but it is seriously hard to tell them a part when their hair is cut like this! They have been dressing alike too and calling themselves twins. Bradley had a little cut on his forehead so Benjamin purposely rubbed his head on the floor and gave himself a rug burn in the same spot! Not his brightest moment. I told Brad he better not be knocking out any teeth to look more like his brother. He assured me he wouldn't!

The boys have been having fun making forts out of card board boxes in the backyard. I especially like all the signs they wrote. :)

Savanna looked gorgeous for her formal dance. I even let her borrow my wedding tiara which apparently was the envy of all the other girls. She said the music wasn't as good as the Halloween dance, and she was getting over a cold, but overall she had a great time.

Benjamin has been on a destructive mission since James left. Emotions are raw around here and his temper has gotten the best of him several times. It seems to be the worst the day or two after James leaves. This past week by Tuesday Ben had broken the toilet seat, the swing set, the large baby gate that sectioned off our living room, several cabinet knobs, and my laundry room shelf! Thank goodness for good home teachers and a handy husband! All was fixed by the weekend. The baby gate, however, could not be fixed so I spent hours spackling, painting and rearranging our living room. Don't tell Ben, but it looks SO much nicer and bigger. I LOVE it!!

I said I would never take the kids here, but a friend invited us to Chuck E. Cheese for a family night. Surprisingly it was actually really fun. A little too loud and hectic, but the pizza has gotten much better and the kids had a blast. The boys said it was the greatest night of their lives! They won 950 tickets which bought them several cheesy, plastic toys and some candy. They make a killing at this place!!

Oh, and the MOST fun, Ben started basketball! This is going to be so entertaining. I just can not wait for his first game! He's only had one practice and one clinic, and the kid is seriously uncoordinated. The funny part is though, he thinks he is FABULOUS! He has a hard time focusing and following direction, plus he kept running around with his hands in his pockets half the practice and so when anyone would throw the ball at him it would just bounce off his chest or face. I kept yelling, "Ben, get our hands out of your pockets!" but he said they were too cold. Their team name is Dr. Chocolate...not sure what that means but whatever. His first game is this Saturday, and it's going to be seriously great!

November 3 - 28, 2011

Visitors, Vacations, & Holidays

2011-11-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

I know, I know...it has been WEEKS since I've blogged! Between visitors, vacations, holidays, and a broken computer I've had my hands tied. There is too much to tell and I took WAY too many pictures to post, but as always I will give you the highlights. Top News: 8 weeks DOWN, only 15 more weeks of James' academy! ONLY...yeah right. :)

Grandma Kathleen came for a visit at the beginning of November. It was great having an extra set of hands around the house again. She was able to spend time with Emma, take the boys on an "adventure," give me a little break, and even see Bradley's last soccer game. She always teaches me something during her visits. This time she shared with me that she has kept a daily gratitude journal for a long time. I thought that was a great idea and started one the very next week. I write 5 things I am grateful for each night before I go to bed. It's simple and takes very little time, but has brought me a lot of joy. What a wonderful way to end each day. :)

Later in the month, Shelly and Hannah came for a visit. This was the first time they have seen our new house! Of course the boys had a blast with Hannah, and we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving while they were here since James would be away on the actual holiday. I decided to do my own spin on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner (big surprise, right?). We served pumpkin/turkey chili (AMAZING BTW...will put it on the food blog asap!), kale salad, green salad, cranberry sauce, whole wheat Tuscan bread and butter, green bean casserole, and raw apple cider. It was a great meal with great company. So many things to be thankful for this time of year and nothing seems more important than family time.

We have been down to stay with James at his hotel twice this month. One weekend the three littles and I went to stay with him for a Saturday/Sunday (Savanna stayed behind to go to her Formal Church Dance- pictures to follow!), and then all of us ended up surprising James by coming down for Thanksgiving Day and stayed several days. The kids love to stay with James. I'd like to say it is because of him but mostly it's the free buffet breakfast the hotel serves every morning, the heated swimming pool, and the awesome park across the street. Really it is a fun place to stay. I go to the gym, go for walks with beautiful views of the mountains, swim, play pool, watch movies....yeah, it's pretty nice.

Some how James has managed to study and write all his papers while we are with him. The baby has even started napping better while we are there. It is cozy having all 6 of us in a 450 square foot space with only ONE bathroom, but totally worth it. We even brought Marley this last time and he was great. We stayed with James Wednesday through Saturday and then he came home for the rest of Saturday and Sunday. Four whole days of family fun. :)

Emma Leigh made a friend, Emily.

Emma is walking!!

Benjamin, AKA Spiderman!

More Emma. :)

November 3 - 8, 2011

On a Personal Note

2011-11-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

This may come as a surprise but after much thought and prayer we have decided to enroll Savanna in a Classical Charter High School. It is a hybrid program, meaning she goes to school two days a week and then will continue to be home schooled the remaining five days. This classical academy follows the Trivium Method (and is in fact, called Trivium Charter School). Trivium Method focuses on three elements of a Classical Education:

[1] General Grammar

(Answers the question of the Who, What, Where, and the When of a subject, and lays the foundation for a student's advanced studies.)

[2] Formal Logic

(Answers the Why of a subject, and teaches a student to think through arguments.)

[3] Classical Rhetoric

(Provides the How of a subject, and teaches a student to express himself with originality and force both in writing and orally and apply his acquired knowledge in his life.)

As these disciplines are learned and practiced together, they form the overarching, unified system for establishing clarity and consistency of personal thought called the Trivium.

Other elements that define a classical education: Most of this knowledge is acquired through CLASSICS (not textbooks), and is studied in chronological order split into four time periods: Ancients, Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation, and Modern Times. Savanna is currently studying ancient history so all of her other subjects (science, art, music etc.) also revolve around this same time period. This helps the student's studies fuse together nicely. It also gives her a clear picture of what was going on in the world in a variety of subjects at different times in history, and how they are related and build upon each other.

For more information on a Classical Education or the Trivium Method, here is a GREAT article:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/classical-education/

At Trivium Charter Savanna is learning Science (Biology- a subject known to the ancients), Ancient History (currently they are studying ancient Egypt), and Writing with a heavy emphasis on Rhetoric- learning to express the ideas in her head cohesively and apply them to her life both in written and oral form (lots of public speaking, papers, and group projects). She is responsible for doing math, English, grammar, spelling, p.e. and other electives at home (music, art, foreign language etc.).

Why did we choose this route? I believe that Leadership Education fuses very nicely with the above definition of a Classical Education. In deed in many respects one could substitute the Grammar element with Core Phase, Logic with Love of Learning Phase, and Rhetoric with Scholar Phase. Leadership Education is not about home schooling or public schooling, classes or hours alone in study. It is about the attitude and needs of the individual student. Savanna is painfully aware that SHE is completely 100 % responsible for her own education. It is not my job or her teacher's job or anyone else's job to educate her. She is the only one capable of doing that. That being said, it is Savanna's education and so it was Savanna's choice. James and I have felt that we have given her a lot of freedom the last few years to choose what she studies, how long she studies, how she studies, etc. But there have been times where she did not perform in a way we felt met our expectations and we have given off a vibe (or straight out told her) that we were unimpressed or disappointed. I have realized that in many ways I am still controlling her education through my reactions. I would give her my advice (and I have had LOTS of advice to give) and she would not follow it, and I would make her wrong for it. Overall I feel that due to my desire for her to succeed and also my fear that she would fail, I have given her the impression that I do not trust her judgment and I do not have confidence in her ability.

For the first time, I am REALLY going to let her make a decision in her own education. And then I am going to spend some time genuinely building her up and letting her know that I have her back, and have the utmost confidence in her ability to not only make the right choice, but to be successful in the choice that she makes. This will be a new road for both us, and one that I hope brings us closer together. I am feeling really good about this. I think it may provide some healing on both sides. Also, the way this program is designed still puts me as her main Mentor, and gives me a chance to be heavily involved in her studies both at school and at home. I think it will be fun to help her with projects, and can even involve the boys in what she is learning outside of the home. Because it is a charter school they give us $350 per year to pick curriculum for Savanna's home studies including many books on our Leadership Education lists. Every child is different, and Savanna feels that this would help her so we will get behind her and let her give it a shot. Classes can serve a great purpose, especially for an older child like Savanna who is very social and thrives in a group environment. Ideally a student should be heavily entrenched in Scholar Phase before committing to classes, but I am thinking that a change of environment and outside Mentors will push Savanna to academic levels she may not have achieved at home. That is my gut feeling.

My biggest problem with this charter decision was that I didn't want to make it based on fear. Fear that if she stayed home she would never get an education, job, degree, etc. I wanted the decision to be made on Faith. Faith that it was the right path and the right time. But I have realized that even though I am her mother and I am privy to revelation that will help my children, this may be a great opportunity for her to learn how to study things out in her mind, pray about them, and then follow through with her own inspiration. She has visited the campus, studied the pros and cons, and has prayed about it. She feels she should attend this school at this time, and so she started this past Tuesday. Already I am seeing her struggle with making sacrifices so she has time for her school work. She does not have as much flexibility, and she is still required to help around the house, take care of herself, and get to bed at a decent hour. I think she will figure it all out in time, and I am hopeful that it will be a positive experience all around. We will take it semester by semester and do what is best for her.

Man, being parents is tough, but what a blessing that we have so many resources available for our children's education. It is also a great reminder that what works for one child may not work for another, and what works at one time for the same child could change as she grows. Pulling Savanna out of public school almost 4 years ago was absolutely the best choice we have ever made for her. I have seen her grow and blossom in so many ways at home. So this Charter school may be what she needs right now to motivate her to the next level, but we will be revisiting this issue continually to know how long it will be needed. We will see how it goes!

November 1, 2011