Egg Decor

Spring Break?

LOL! Do we really have to take a break from school for Spring Break? I know that sounds like a very silly question - but I am wondering what merit it would have? Cam's last official public school day was today. The thought of taking the rest of the week off seems counter productive to me. And so... we are continuing our UnSchooling for the rest of this week as well.

We need to go get Cam's work books from Costco (I am so glad he is 1st grade! There were TONS for that age group for cheap!), so that will be tommorow's project. We also have a trailer to pack, a menu to plan including ingredients to figure out, clothes to wash, dry, fold, and pack, and then the loading up of it all! I think that is a perfect learning experience! We will consider amounts of food we may need for a family of 6. We will figure out the amount of clothing we will need, and they will also be in charge of researching the weather (it's suppose to be cold 2 of the days we are gone and then warm up) to decide on what kind of clothing we all will need. *grin* Our first camping trip of the season HERE WE COME!

I am also taking with us: their workbooks, some kites, plastic easter eggs to play with, our book we are reading together, the scriptures, some scavenger hunt and puzzles, and some biology info. And there are area maps to explore, hikes to take, and the typical natural children adventures to take. :) We will also start a little bit of our astronomy explorations... if the clouds are cooperative!

It promises to be a fantastic Spring "Break"! *GRIN*

Homeschool Update

Homeschool is great! I thought it would be a LOT harder than it is. We are usually done by noon and get to "play" together etc the rest of the day. I love having the one on one time without them without them being antsy to go play with friends (since the friends are at school). They ALL love it!

Cam has missed a ton of school lately for his arm, asthma etc. He keeps asking if he can come home this year too. I kept putting him off because the year is almost over and he is SUCH a structure type personality, but he has done really well at home with us the last few weeks on and off. His agressiveness has greatly decreased (he is a poke ya, push ya, bug someone all the time kind of kid) and I can't believe how much more calm he has been. I wonder if the less stimulating environment of home will help him as well... I finally just went to the district on friday and signed him out. *gulp* We'll see how it goes... LOL! Wish me luck!

Can I just say I NEVER would have thought I would be a homeschool type person?? NEVER! LOL! If you had told me in January I would be homeschooling all of my kids by April I would have laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks! I never would have believed it. And now... I can't imagine sending them back anytime soon! The closeness we have as a family is amazing. I laugh though.. the one thing I see as a down side - They never turn off! LOL! Now that home is their classroom... they don't come home and turn off. We have educational discussions EVERYWHERE! Even through my bathroom door as I am trying to have a few moments alone with my porcelin furniture! Jess is amazed he says. He can't believe how "alive" they are now. Everything seems to catch their interest and we talk a TON!

Quick Example - Cody has gotten DEEP into genetic modification - he's almost 10 remember - he just now came up and told me "Did you know they made a mouse that glows in the dark?? They took some gene particles from a jelly fish that glows and with a mechanical device inserted it into the DNA strand of a mouse! wicked huh!!? Now the mouse glows at night!" LOL! Bet I never would have heard THAT from my regularly public schooled 4th grader! LOL! It is a ton of fun! Cody especially has grown by leaps and bounds.

The hardest part I have found is other people's perception of us. I went from "being like everybody else" to "going against the grain" and I am amazed at how many people think I am SO different from them. The comments are sometimes quite hurtful. I am just amazed... and I really hope I was not one of those who thoughtlessly made comments that hurt. I am not some super mom. I am not any better than anyone else. I am the same. I just have made a different choice for my kids right now. And I am enjoying it. I am not seeking to talk anyone into it when I ramble about all the fun we are having. I am not choosing one method of schooling over another! I think public school has great merit! I am not against charter schools or even private schools! I am not against un-schoolers or those who take their children abroad to have their sole education. I just know the promptings that I have regarding MY kids have been AWESOME for us as a family right now... and I think it's fun to share *grin* I hope you all dont mind! And I hope none of you think I am any different now because I do homeschool! LOL

Ugh. Thanks for letting me get THAT off my chest! LOL! It has been festering without words for some time now. LOL. Homeschooling at the Dorius Household ROCKS!

My Easter...

What an amazing Easter Sunday. I am so thankful to the ward choir for their beautiful program, for the words that were spoken, the songs that were sung, but most of all I am thankful for the Spirit that I felt. From the minute they began tears flowed down my cheeks without stopping. The feelings of utter awe and gratitude at magnitude of what the Savior did for all of us, of what He did for *me* washed over me in great waves. How blessed we are that He gave His LIFE...all of His life... for us! Not 5 years in calling. Not as an apostle when He was old and grey, but ALL of it! He gave every moment for our benefit, to teach us, be the example for us, pray for us, suffer for us, and die for us! He was perfect! He had no reason to allow His life to be taken. None. He was half God, he could have stayed their hands. He willing SUFFERED horrifying sorrow, anguish and utter pain FOR US! It seems so trite to say I am thankful for His sacrifice for me. I know I have said it many times in my testimony, and in teaching, and in my prayers, but never have I felt it so searing on my heart and in my soul! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb! Thanks be to God that me, a common, willful, stubborn fool can humble myself before Him and He will take me back... time and time again... My heart breaks for His pain. My heart leaps for joy and gratitude at His pain. I would be utterly lost without Him. And the gratitude I feel envelops me. For the knowledge I have, for the testimony I feel, I will strive daily to live worthy of.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Never have I known it so fully or completely. I know it! :)

Keep on dreamin' sweet boy...

I found this next to his Easter Basket:


Translation: Dear Easter Bunny, I love you. This is something for you ($.65). Can you give a DSi to me? Love Cameron


Ahh... if only if only... *giggle*

The laughs we have at his expense!

Caleb is such a funny guy! Here are two of the scenes we got chuckles out of today:

Riding in the car...

Caleb: Mommy? Did my Fa-der die?"
Mom: Your Father?
Caleb: Yeah...
Mom: Sweetheart, your father is right here (pointing at Jess). He is driving the car!
Caleb: Dats not my fa-der! Dat is jus' Daddy!

Still riding in the car...but much later. Emma noticed Caleb was dozing off...

Emma: Caleb... we are almost to Grandma's! Dont fall asleep!
Mom: Caleb are you going to sleep silly boy?
Caleb: (sitting up trying to not look like he had been asleep) No. I was jus' checkin my brain to see if da Santa dream is coming back or not...

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! I thought it was Easter Bunny season... not Santa Claus! LOL! Oh he is such a cute little nut!

Great Grandma's Easter Hunt & Party

Candy and Eggs Galore!! :)


And Caleb made it down the stairs first! LOL

Cousin Avery was so dainty in her gathering...

Caleb wanted to make sure Great Grandma showed him the one with his name on it - "it's gots pennies in it!" *grin*

Cam was checking each candy to make sure they didn't have nuts... it was so cute!

Emmalee is getting so grown up! :(

Yea! Cam found the one that jingles!

S-t-r-e-t-c-h...

McKenly was going crazy over all the candy! YIPPEE!!

Great G'pa teasing Emma... but the whole family comes by it naturally...

Kenly told her "Uncle Jessie" that the candy "S'mine!"

And so the teasin' began! They were "fightin" good! LOL

She is even too quick for him through this! You go girl!

We wished it had not been so rainy - we could have done it in their huge backyard... but the kids had fun none the less!

Then came time for the pow wow and trading post! *giggle*

Thanks Great Grandma & Grandpa for a fun time! Our dentist will love us! (tee hee hee)

Bottling Butter

Today for "Home Ec" Emmalee helped me try something new that I have been wanting to learn!
We heated the jars, followed the recipe, got a little messy...

And Wha-la! We bottled butter! We ended up with 7 half pints for 3 lbs of butter (with a little left over ;) ) VERY COOL!!!

It was good Mommy and Me time too!

Cam's Great Day!

Cam was SO excited for this morning! He met with his Orthopedic Surgeon about his arm today!

The breaks look great! Nice and white! *grin*

So... off came the cast... and with just an ace bandage added for support...

...I have a VERY happy 7 year old on my hands!!

WAHOO!!! "I'm freeeeee!!!!"

Don't know if I should be proud or not...

Suck that back in man! *shudder* LOL

Wordless Wednesday

This Morning...

This is what I woke up to this morning....

I have the best kids ever! *GRIN*

Guess Who's 4??

My messy faced Caleb!! *grin*

He wanted a "Super Heros" cake - Gram had a cake pan from when Daddy was little - Wilton's 1977 version of Superman/Batman cake pan! Very Cool! So my little guy got a Vintage cake! *grin*

Waiting for opening of presents was TORTURE! But he was a spoiled and happy little mite!

He got a box of 4 Tonka puzzles (That is ALL he did yesterday during Conference!)

New Summer outfit from G'ma & G'pa Ewell!

"Chah-tat Tootees!" - his favorite!

This present he had been guessing about all afternoon - it was a rocket ship? monster truck?...etc etc etc!

He couldn't have guessed it would be something he would love so much! A TONKA bike!!

Aunt Katie & Uncle Greg, Uncle Tyler & Aunt Millie all went in on it and gave it to him (they bought it from G'pa Lee - he found it on one of his DI excursions...and it looks BRAND NEW! Sweet!)

Lub's said he can't ride it yet because "da wheels is broken". (meaning they don't have training wheels on it! LOL - Daddy plans to add some tonight for him)

Then he attacked the Box that was bigger than him! Gram & Papa went in with his Mom & Dad to get our little man....

A "Lellow Man Car"!!! (Plasma Car) His best friend Jesse has one and he has wanted one forever! He can't wait to show Jesse!! *GRIN*

Everyone tried it out... even Uncle Greg folded his long legs up to try it! *giggle*

G'ma Annie & Papa Stoddard gave him some $ to go get the Letter Factory Video that he wants... :)

Dispite the cold breeze we had to go try the new stuff out! :)

Kenly LOVED it... she even fought with whomever had it to let her ride too!

The men all went to the Priesthood Session of Conference, so we waited to do Cake and Icecream until they got back... more torture for the poor little man! LOL! But then it was cake time!
Blowing with your arm makes it work better! (not)

He kept missing the candles! It took 4 blows! Tee hee!!

But he finally got 'um! Then he could have his Super Hero's cake and "A'nilla" iceream!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE MAN!!!

I can't believe you are 4!!!!