I'm a Grandma!

Tee hee! Ok... not really... but dag-nabit Cody did such a cute job I would totally claim her!

As a lesson in responsibility, the 6th grade classes made their own "Sugar Babies". See how cute a 5lb. bag of sugar can be...?

Meet "Summer Loulou"

Cody did a great job as a "dad". He only left her unattended 3 times for short periods of time! He did great! He often could be found talking to her as he went about his day, or holding her and bouncing and swaying just like a real parent. All the kids loved "tending" for him and he "paid" them with acts of service.

"Uncle" Cameron

Cody really enjoyed this project. The only negative he had to say about it was that he didn't get "twins" - they drew from a hat as to what gender and how many babies they had. He was hoping for twins! LOL

Now... who want's sugar cookies...?

First Day of Kindergarten!

My littlest man started kindergarten!! He was SOOOOO happy to finally be going!! He was up at 10 to 7am. He ate breakfast, got a haircut, took a shower and was dressed to his shoes by 9 am!

Sadly... he didn't start school until well after lunch! LOL

He was so excited for before first day picures that he was jumping up and down!

WOOT! WOOT! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Oh yeah!! Oh Yeah!!

We had to find something to occupy his time... so we sat outside and he rode his bike, WITH his backpack on... tee hee hee

Then he wanted to tell Gram that he was going to school today. So I gave him my cell phone...

And he chatted away.. .while riding his bike! ACK! Bad habits start young! Bwahahaha

A few minutes later his bestest buddy and his mom came to get us and we drove to the school.

Our cute little boys!

Off we go! We aren't babies no more...

This is my class!!!

His teacher is just AWESOME!! She is in our ward and we just love her!

Caleb found his desk, by reading his name on a tag! (he is such a smartie pants!) He dove into his paper at his desk and I barely got a goodbye! LOL

Now...here... as the mommy... I have to admit:

I was SO happy for him! He was so happy! I walked him into his classroom. He found his desk. I told him goodbye and "have a great day"! And I walked out the door...

and a few steps away...

my eye lids sprung a leak! I could not stop crying! Even as I type I am getting tears in my eyes! So silly! I am happy for him! I am happy for me. Time alone again.

But I am so sad inside too!

A chapter of my life has closed. It is over.

No more babies that are mine.

They are all school attending little people!

*sigh*

I cried... like a baby.

Yup. I did.

And I wandered around like a lost puppy dog.

Ah. So fun.

On to the next phase of life! Momy of School Age/Jr. High children here I come! *WINK*

Last Day

Today is my last day.

Last day to be the mom of "little kids at home".

Last day of keeping my ever busy "baby" occupied since his siblings, and best friends, all went to school.

Last day to have him all to myself.

Last day of having someone with me... all. the. time.

Last day of a phase in my life that I loved, toughed out, relished, endured and learned so very much from.

It's my last day with my baby at home...

Tomorrow he starts kindergarten...

and life will never be the same again.

It's very... VERY... bittersweet.

Here are some new blog posts... sorry they are not in order for your enjoyment... but since this is my "scrapbook" of sorts, I decided it needed to go chronologically. :) Enjoy!

Baptisms for the Dead

Pinewood Derby 2010

Our dearest friends

Testimony Builder

1st Day of School 2010

Mommy all alone?

A conversation with Caleb, talking about him going to Kindergarten next week...

MOM: Are you excited to start Kindergarten in a few days now that you have met your teacher?

CALEB: Yes. But Mommy! You goin' be all awone at home?

MOM: Yep I am! Sad huh?

To which he replied, "It will be ok... you can come sit outside my cwass and wait for me to be done if you want." :)

What a sweet kid! Such a sacrifice on his part for his sad... and soon-to-be home all alone Mommy! LOL!Ah the joys of putting your youngest baby in school!

Testimony Builder

We had a very neat experience at our house! Jestin has been working on a steel fabrication job for his uncle the last few weeks. Today he was grinding some metal. He said he saw a light out of the corner of his eye and ignored it for a bit. But when it didn't go away he looked down. His shirt was on FIRE!!!

He patted it out frantically and then looked at his temple garment underneath. There was brown burn marks on the outside of his garment, but nothing on the back side.

The kids were in awe... what a testimony builder about the blessings given for our temple garments! I am so thankful he did not get burned today! We feel very blessed!

First Day of School

First day of school 2010

We sent the first 3 kids to school today!

Cameron - 3rd Grade

Emmalee - 7th Grade

Jr. High!!! Can you believe it??

Cody - 6th Grade

They love their school and so do I! I have had many people question our choice about a Charter School, but I know it is what is right for my kids. I love the atmosphere, I love the devotion to America, the REAL America, and the deep immersion into the principles of the founding fathers and constitution. I love that my children are free to learn as fast or as slow as they need to. I love that they teach them the basics from 7 Habits of Highly Sucessful people. I have just loved it all. And so do the kids!

Emma is taking Intro to Voice, Hip Hop and Drama, as well as her main curriculum. She can start chasing her interests NOW, instead of waiting until High School in public school. Next semester she is taking Piano lessons as well! It's AWESOME!!

Cody is taking his 2nd year of Drama. Yep. Drama. In 6th grade. It has been SOOO good for him! He loves it! He really likes his teacher this year. I think he reminds me of Cody...so that is awesome. Great minds and all that. *wink*

 Cam's teacher is also a man this year. He reminds me a lot of our Brother-in-law Greg. In fact, when we met him, we were talking about it as we left the school... to which Cam says, "Yeah, but he doesn't SMELL like Greg!" We all laughed and laughed! He then told us that Greg smells like deodorant. LOL. Who knew?

Caleb is not too happy! He doesn't start school until the 31st. It's "jus' not fair!". Poor boy.

This is my favorite though... Daddy helpin' his little girl with her hair before school *GRIN* I have SUCH a cute family!

Special thanks to Mom & Dad and Ma & Dad for helping us to get the kids the school supplies they needed. And for Aunt Jenny for spoiling Emma with a pre-school shopping trip.

We are so blessed!!!

Oh how I love August storms!! And my home sweet home....

Caleb-ism

Upon observing Mom take her medicines in the morning at breakfast:

Caleb: Why you take dat medicine?
Mom: For my heart.
Caleb: Oh! So da food doesn't go down and break your heart?
Mom (laughing): No! It helps my heart to work right.
Caleb: Oh! So it worked all wrong, but now it sees da medicine coming and works right?

Yep. That is exactly how it works little man! :)

I have been so busy...

and boy do I know it!

July has been full and busy. We had family here, went to a reunion, had a yard sale, had a camping trip and an 11 yr old boy had a birthday, all the while I have been trying to get a ward cookbook made up! It's been a blast and has kept sadness about the non-changing economic status in my life from really getting me down.

I am so excited about this ward cookbook! I have typed in almost 300 recipes so far!! The ward members only have 2 more weeks to get them into me and I have about 2 more weeks after that to get them all entered! Then we will do proofs etc and hope to have them off to the presses, to be arriving in time for Thanksgiving/Christmas gift giving! I have LOVED reading the recipes and imagining all the dear people in my ward making these recipes for their families! It's has been SOO fun!!

Jes and I have been applying for jobs all over. I am secretly hoping I get the crossing guard position I applied for. A few hours a day I could commit to with my heart. 8 hours days I am not so sure. : \   Jes is hopeful that one of the jobs here locally will be "the one" as out of state work BITES so very much! LOL We are leaving it in the Lord's hands, after all we can do, and we are trying to be ok with it. It's tough. But we also know we are not alone... so that brings us comfort. And we keep being told to keep up our businesses too... so we do.

I think the hardest thing for me was this yard sale last weekend. We had nothing with which to pay our house payment. We didn't know what to do. I took the entire week and gathered everything we owned that wasn't SUPER sentimental, or things that could be replaced, and I tried to sell them on Saturday. I tried not to cry that whole morning. Bless my good friend Suzie for coming to help me... and not saying a word when I got a little quiet or would not budge on a price for something (because...well... if it didn't sell...I really wanted it to come back into my house! *blush* LOL) It was amazing! We had some great neighbors stop by, some good things sell, and a small check for JWD Electric come in... and all in all we made enough to pay our house payment and our tithing on what we had earned! It was a little miracle for us... and reminded me that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings from heaven". We must be doing something right... even if the "end" of this trial hasn't yet come almost 2 years later, we still have somehow made it this far. Somehow the Lord doesn't forget us. :) (though I have to honestly admit, I would love less "be patient" answers, and more "take this job on this day" kind of ones! *grin*)

And admittedly, I have seen blessings in our lives that go far beyond financial. Money really doesn't matter. (Hear that certain creditor that won't stop calling me? bwahahaha) My family matters. My testimony matters. My kids matter. My husband matters. Our friends matter. How I treat others matters. My relationship with God matters.

Life lessons are pouring in. My heart is often so full of love for the members of our ward, my family & friends I can hardly breathe! The things that used to make me crazy with my family, doesn't seem to effect me the same way. I like feeling complete peace. I don't have answers. But I have peace. And it is good!