Life lesson the hard way

A + B=C

Making Lemonade

The last couple of days I've been thinking about Mark's lay off last summer. Initially I felt anxiety- not knowing where we would be living and where Mark would work. It felt more like a trial than an opportunity, like I'd been given a basket of lemons.

Now I look back at how everything turned out better than I could have hoped. I had a great time on our cross country trip and went places we wouldn't have gone otherwise. I just LOVE where we live now and the people we have met. Our ward at church has been very friendly and warm and we have thoroughly enjoyed our co-op, local activities, parks, the scenery, etc.

Now we find ourselves with another 60 notice- another opportunity for change. I would love to be able to stay here. It certainly would be easier to stay put instead of starting over again. However, if we do move, I wonder what opportunities the change will bring.

While applying for jobs last week, I already started to think about the possibilities. How fun would it be to work and live in the same town as Rachel and Derrik!!! Or work for a company that has training in NYC!?! I could take the kiddos out everyday to eat 'pie' (cheese pizza), see the Statue of Liberty, run around Central Park, etc while Mark is at work. The possibilities are endless.

I think I might like this glass of lemonade!

Happy 8 months Malia!

Snapshot by Jeffrey.

The Children's Museum

Snuggle Bugs

First Bubble

Predictions for 2009

Several years ago my family had a tradition. We would sit down at the beginning of the year and write "predictions" for the following year- sometimes silly, sometimes realistic, but always fun! 2008 was an adventure filled year for us: Malia was born, we road triped across the country, and Mark started a new job. This year promises to be just as exciting! Off on the side, I will have some predictions for our year. You can vote on our poll and/or add your own predictions in the comments.

"Fun School"

A few snap shots of our school day-

Sight word darts- we have a few different charts we use . Toss the dart at the sight word chart and if you can read it you get point. Jeffrey is champion (my aim is bad).
Brooklynn's moveable tile 100 chart- she's been using it to practice number order and now she's on the skip counting


And of course lego contruction- Jeffrey's favorite

A new favorite book to recommend, Games for Learning by Peggy Kaye. This book focuses on skills for K-3 graders to master. The majority of the games can be played with just a pencil and paper in a short period of time (i.e. waiting for a doctor's appointment.) I haven't found another 'activity' type book where the majority of the ideas I will use with my kids. 2 thumbs up!!

The Farm Framed

So here it is, my grandpa's farm. I just love the view with the pumpkins and the Jordan River Temple in the background!!

A Shout out to you from Malia

A Visit and Cordials

My visiting teacher came over this afternoon and left me with a message and a box of chocolate covered cherries (how could she have known how much I like them and that my kids don't so I can actually eat the entire box and not feel guilty for not sharing?). I haven't had a visiting teacher come over to my house for a few years. It truly feels like a blessing now that I am away from family and friends.

Jack is Back!!!

"This is turning into a nightmare!"

That would be the comment I got when I served dinner tonight and after the groans announced there would be no cookies until I saw clean plates.

Our Newest Addition

Speedy a painted turtle

Never ask a friend where they got their cute pet unless you mean it. You just might be taking it home with you. The kids are thrilled! He is actually about 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter.

It's Official

Yahoo!! Rachel and Derrik are moving to the East Coast!!! Congrats to Derrik on the new job!!

Co-op Winter Term

Yesterday our co-op started the winter term! We made a 45 minute drive to meet at the home of one of our group members. Beautiful drive- ponds, green, horses, more ponds, more green, river, etc.

Our numbers have dwindled slightly, so instead of offering two classes an hour that the children can choose from, we have 3 40 minute classes that they all attend.

So Jeffrey's age group (6 boys and 1 girl) studied geography (Greece was the theme for yesterday), human body (the class I'm teaching and SUPER excited about), and civil war (lots of neat local field trip opportunities).

Brooklynn's age group (5 girls- she's in HEAVEN) read books and studied the human body and played games.

January is our family's month to be in charge of games so we played "Head's Up 7 Up" (a traditional game all the parents played growing up in public school- the kids had never played before and had a great time), "Telephone", and "Sausage" (the person in the middle can only answer 'sausage' to any question the group asks him. The person who gets him to laugh is the next person it.)

A Quiet Heart #2

Quoting Anne Morrow Lindbergh...."The Feminists did not look...far [enough] ahead; they laid down no rules of conduct. For them it was enough to demand the privileges...And [so] woman today is still searching. We are aware of our hunger and needs, but still ignorant of what will satisfy them. With our garnered free time, we are more apt to drain our creative springs than to refill them. With our pitchers, we attempt...to water a field, [instead of[ a garden. We throw ourselves indiscriminately into committee's and causes. Not knowing how to free the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distractions. Instead of stilling the center, the axis of the wheel, we add more centrifugal activities to our lives- which tend to throw us [yet more] off balance.

"For women the problem is still how to feed the soul."

A Quiet Heart

The last few weeks you could find me organizing and rearranging the house. Not a closet untouched. It's all revamped and ready for a new year!! In the process, I stumbled across a book, "A Quiet Heart" by Patricia Holland.

"We need to simplify and spiritualize and celestialize. If most of what we are doing doesn't fit these categories, if at least some portion of our day is not turned to heaven, then we have a wrenching, rending emptiness awaiting us-isolation of the first order-and we will find no cloak of charity with which to protect ourselves or our sisters. We simply have to see what we can eliminate, what we can replace with something higher and holier, more reflective, compassionate, and eternal."

I'm sure I'll be posting more quotes.

Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam

teacher, that is.

The five energy filled 3 year olds were actually pretty good on their first day. Only one mishap, a head bonk. I have been browsing the internet for ideas that go along with lessons and I am getting pretty excited!