Sunday

So we are in our house and this is what our Sunday's are like. Yep folks it is a no TV day. Not that it is hard since we don't really have tv. So we don't have sports blaring, cooking shows, nature shows, nothing. We did cheat last week and let the kids watch a book movie. But that is because they got ready for church early and we wanted them to stay clean while we got ready.
We have church at 2:30 so it is important to keep some flexibility about. After church we are staaarving! But today we managed to starve till DJ made baked penne, I had made some bruschetta and we had a salad and green beans. It is amazing how we had no complaining about dinner and how much the kids ate. I should starve them more often! Anyway we have some kinks to work out but it is sure nice to have a quite day once a week isn't it.

memorial day

So on Memorial Day The kids and I met up with Corey and Sue and there kids at Empire Ranch. Southeast of Tucson. It was a lovely morning. Although my battery was dead when I got there I was able to charge it enough to get some pictures. I saw some birds from where we were. A blue grosbeak and a tanager. Plus a bunch I didn't identify. Lucas did his best to follow Corey around and he and Jason threw lots of rocks and sticks in the creek. IT was nice to get out before the heat hit. As we were leaving we saw 5 pronghorn. Fun stuff!

Birthday

Happy Birthday Eden!!

She 6 years old now and lives in a very magical world of her own. For her birthday we started out with print outs from family.go.com This was a great resource and we were able to get the girls in one place and busy. My favorite part was the they had some shrink a dink charms. DJ and my Mom worked hard on getting them ready for the party. The girls made bracelets with the charms and some pretty pastel beads. Of course I didn't get a pictures of that but they were super cute.

After the art projects we played hit Flynn Rider with the frying pan. The kids loved it! My awesome Mom made the poster and I found a blog supermommoments.com I also loved craftytexasgirls.blogspot.com There blogs and party were beautiful, Mine was crazy!! but we had a great time. After the game the kids all ran outside and ran around while we got out the lunch. We had Eden's mac and cheese I make only for her birthday once a year. Fruit, veggies, and pig in a blanket.

After Lunch we ran the kids in for some Rapunzel cake. This is the most creative cake I have ever made. I should have waited for DJ to be my structural engineer but noooo I just had to finish it! We'll we made a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I made the cake purple instead of red though, it was purty. The tower was made with rice crispy treats and everything was covered in fondant. However due to the heat in the house we did have some...ummm, technical difficulties. But it survived barely and at the end it was yummy.

Other things we did, were these cute flags with the sun on them, like in the movie. We hung them right before the dinning room. We also made these super cute pascal blowers, the boys liked them a lot. I made some paper lanterns for decoration and we had battery operated tea lights in them. The gift bags, I noticed we didn't get pictures of either, dang! I ordered little clear paint cans. We lined them with tissue paper and filled them with candy, princess stickers,flower lollipops, a pencil and an eraser.

We ended the day with presents and we played Tangled on the tv, but the kids all went back into the yard to play. All was fine with me. Eden was happy and we all had a nice time.

Here we go!

So on Saturday DJ and I are moving into our house. After which we will finish it take pictures and have a big revel. I'll take some pics and post my before and afters. It is amazing how much a little pint can brighten things up.
I love going over there now. It feels like home. Calm and bright, beautiful and comfortable. I love it. I love that the kids are excited to live there too. Maybe not Leila but she'll get used to not having Grandpa and Grandma all the time. I think I am going to have to beg my Dad to come over at nap time however. I'm not sure she knows how to take a nap without Grandpa lol.
We have been so blessed to have my parents love and suport at this transition in our lives. They are truely kind people and I am lucky they are my parents. ANyway wish us luck and come and visit anytime!!

Rodeo-eo-eo

So here in Tucson we have this wonderful thing called Rodeo. Yep folks we have a rodeo and that also means we get 2 days off of school.

On the Wednesday before break Lucas's school puts on a program they sing and dance and carry on. It is all very cute and fun.

Leila enjoying the show. Hi Lucas!!! They are going to do the Virginia Reel!

This little boy wants to marry Eden and I am okay with that cuz he is super cute and smart! his Dad is tall and that is a good sign.

Then we have break while the weather is fantastic and we soke it up! (Eden has worn her new boots everyday.

This year the kids went to their friend Tyler and Meagan's house. Friday we hit up the Library to see some horses and make paperbag puppets.

Saturday We celebrated my nephew Jason's 3rd birthday and Sunday we went to church and tried to recooperate. All in all it was a fantastic and relaxing time.

You Homeschool?? You must be weird or crazy!

Alright here it goes. I have to share my feelings of my new adventure in home school. Why would a Mother do this anyway? I admit I like having that morning time to myself. Getting laundry done. Taking a shower. Running errands. Thinking. But the glitch was my children came home! That's right I hated it when my kids came home from school. I would miss them all day then BAM!! They were home. They were tired, they don't want to do homework. Who could blame them they have been in school ALL day!

So anyway I brought Eden home after Christmas to join the k12 program. She was having some other issues at school and since she is in kindergarten I figured I couldn't mess her up that much. So I removed her and enrolled her in the Arizona Virtual Academy. I have been going to the information on the school since Lucas was a baby, and I decided to just try it out!

A few weeks later boxes arrived. A computer, printer/scanner, teacher books, student books, Then just books in general! Cubes and shapes for counting and so on. Amazing beautiful, and a little overwhelming. But I was excited. Now for the fun part.

After Christmas vacation we started, slowly but surely. I had to take a full day of skipping lessons to catch her up with the rest of her class. But we got busy. Her lessons usually start on the computer. She is taught a concept and the with math practices it builds on it and it is awesome. Phonics is all done with me but it's fun. She has stories to read for language arts. We have some sort of activity or art project. Then here is the magical part. when she is done. We are done for the day!!!! That is right no homework! We are usually done by lunch time and she has the rest of the day to be a kid. So strange I know but she has freedom! She plays with bunny, has a play date with her friend Meagan, goes out on the trampoline, plays with her sister or does art.

Big reward! My girls are becoming friends. They play with each other and they are an adorable pair. I enjoy having her home. I love seeing her learn. I know exactly what she is learning, how she learns best. AND!! If we are having a "day" we can shorten it or just take it off. We have only done that twice.

So maybe I am weird or crazy but it seems to be working for us and for the needs of my children and after all isn't that what being a parent is all about. Looking at your child and figuring out what is the best thing for there needs. Also when DJ is home Friday mornings Eden and Leila get a little of much needed Daddy time. A precious commodity these days.

So that's what we are doing and that is why, we love it!

2011 Here we are

As a 2011 resolution I will be blogging, that's right I have finally returned. A lot has been going on in our families life. DJ is a full time student applying for Pharmacy school in the 2012 Fall school year. He also works full time. We have gotten a little old house near my parents. We are spending every Saturday on. Trying to get it so we can move in. It has a ton of work to do but it is moving along and will be a nice when we get to move in.
Lucas is a 1st grader and seems to be doing well academically. He is a little nutty but he is a tenderhearted kid with a great love of life.
Eden started kindergarten but I brought her home after the first semester to attend the Arizona Virtual Academy, though the K12 program. I am her learning coach. We have been enjoying he schooling from home so much. She is awesome and loves to learn.
Leila is crazy. She is 18 months now and is "runnin" (thanks Forrest Gump). The little thing keeps us laughing though the day. She tickles and sings constantly. She is a joy and a half. I can't imagine our family without her.
I am nuts! I am a full time single Mom Monday though Friday. I look forward to weekends because DJ is home. But like I said we spend Saturday at the house. He lays tile, I paint and bump into walls. Sundays I resume my calling as Primary president and he serves in the Elders Quorum as 1st counselor. Mean while we are trying to get Leila to go to Nursery by herself. She hasn't quite caught on to the idea. But I hope she will soon.
We are trying and succeeding and failing and doing our best and what we can do. I guess that's all we can do juts try a little harder to be a little better. Pull ourselves up from our broken boot straps and keep trudging along. At the end of the day we are happy fed and loved. Isn't that the best way to end the day after all?