We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Signing off for a week!

Tomorrow we are leaving to go to CA, it is our annual beach house trip to Carpinteria, We are looking forward to lazy, sunny days on the best beach in the world. We will see you in a week and report on our adventures.

A Fall FHE and other goings-on

We went for a little nature walk on Monday for FHE to enjoy the limited fall beauty that we have. It was actually really nice. Own by the Rio Grande river there are lots of large beautiful trees and they were sporting their fall colors...Mostly just yellow and brown. I told the kids that the first person to find a tree with red leaves was the winner...I won, but the tree was to far away and it was getting dark, so I didn't get a picture of it! Here are some pictures from the "trek"!


































On Thursdays I decided to have a little girls' club at our house for some socializtion for my socially deprived little girl. We call it the Sugar and Spice Club (Danny calls it the Spice Girls-which makes Grace laugh!) Last week was our first official meeting and we made Halloween cookies. I was really good and let all the girls (plus Dyl) roll and cutout their own cookies (even though they were not perfect, nor anywhere near it-which is really hard for me!) and they had a really good time.


























Finally, last night we had our ward trunk or treat, we showed up a half hour late because I got the time wrong, but the kids had a fun time anyway. I just enjoyed visiting with some new friends.

Friday, October 24, 2008

A really good post...

about Prop 8.
A friend sent this link to me (thanks Karalee.) I really like this perspective on same-sex marriage. You should definitely check it out.
Analogy

Thatcher Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Free family tree - Family history sites

Thatcher Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Black and white photographs - Lineage

Thatcher Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

Sunday, October 19, 2008

The inevitable always happens!

We have a huge backyard. Filled with lots of fun things for three kids to occupy their time. Our yard is just rocks and dirt, and the dirt here is very sandy, so they actually have a huge sand box along with all the other things. Now, what do you think is these kids' most fun thing to do???Why, play in the mud, of course!"But, Mom, we're just getting our feet in it!""Yeah, right!"---The Mud Monsters

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

New Mexican Skies

It almost looks like heaven is peeking through the clouds.
The skies here are so beautiful, they almost make up for the lack of trees and greenery...almost! It just goes to show you that beauty can be found anywhere, sometimes you just have to look up!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

21 and a half weeks!

Just a side view for all those who do not believe that I am already huge...and I'm only halfway!

I love the new blog roll...

it means that I can just glance it over to see who's updated instead of click, click, clicking all the time!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

All about the Kids!

My last several posts have been a little self-centered, so I decided to do an update on each of the kiddos. Besides, that's the only reason some (most) of you are here and I was afraid of losing my loyal readers! So without further ado...

Jesse

I have had a hard time starting these past couple of posts about my kids, but then when I get started, the ideas just flow.
Let's see...Jesse is enjoying school for the most part. He says that he doesn't like it, but I know better. He is doing really well in school (I know, shocker!) and was asked to join an advanced reading group one day a week. He has also scored "advanced" on all of his spelling tests...he takes after his mom and dad! He told me yesterday that he and a classmate were talking on the bus and saying that if they were the teacher they wouldn't make the kids do any math or any other work at all. If he was the teacher he would take the kids to Chuck E Cheese, Cliffs (an amusement park here that he has never even been to!) and other fun places. I asked him how the kids would learn anything that way, he just said he would teach them some things while they were out having a good time. He couldn't elaborate on what those "some things" would be. I told him that he would be fun, but wouldn't be a very good teacher...I guess he was more interested in being fun!
Jess has started karate and is loving it. I love that he loves it, but I don't love the time. It's Weds. from 5:45pm to 6:45pm. The classes all start late here because the kids get out of school at 4:00. But since he loves it, we will endure.
I am trying to find a piano teacher for him because it is that time in his life when he starts his mandatory music lessons. There will be no musical agency in this home. I am sad that I never stuck with piano lessons, so my kids will have to make up for that!
His favorite past time lately is annoying the heck out of his siblings, which in turn annoys the heck out of his mom! It seems that he cannot go more than 5 minutes without torturing one of his victims! I am told that this is just the beginning...I am not looking forward to it! I do send him to his room when he can't quit, but it doesn't seem to deter him. What will we do with him?
Other than the constant pestering, he is really a good kid, I can't complain too much. He's my best helper (when he wants to be!) and I appreciate him so much. He loves to make us all laugh and is really good at reading to his brother and sister. We love our Jesse boy and wouldn't trade him for the world.
Jesse in action:At karate...and no we are not too good at brushing that hair, so we just cut it off recently!Doesn't it just strike you with fear to see him!?His new skill, he did climb up!Look how strong he is!

Grace

This post will be a little shorter than the boys since I just posted about her on her birthday, not because I love her any less!
Grace is growing up so much (except for the screaming at the drop of a hat! Will that ever end??) She just loves being a girl, what else can I say? She keeps reminding me that she is the "only princess" in our family since we are having another boy. We kinda played this angle fearing that she would be disappointed with another boy...and boy has she taken to it!
I am making attempts at "homeschooling" her (she missed the cut off for kindergarten here by a few weeks, but was really ready to go!) She wants to learn to read and is doing really well. She is such a smart little cookie. I thought that working with her was going to be rough as she doesn't always like to listen to me (I tried doing a preschool co-op a couple of years ago and it did not go well!) but she asks me all the time if it is time to do school. She is really loving learning. Next week I am staring a little girls' club once a week to learn some things like cooking, etiquette, literature and just to have a little social time (which she is in need of the most!) There are a few cute little girls in the ward that we are going to invite into our "club!"
She is taking a gymnastics class and loves it. She has lots of fun doing pikes and tumbling. Her coach is great and gives the girls a good "workout!"
Her smiles are contagious and she's really a pretty funny girl. We love our "only Princess!"
A few pics of her royal highness!Smelling a rose at the botanic gardens. I love this picture of her.She loves to pose...such a girl!On the swing at Jesse's school.

Dylan

What can I say about my boy wonder? He has definitely hit the "terrible twos." It seems like it hit overnight. One day he went to bed my sweet little boy and he woke up the next being quite stubborn, grumpy and in some cases mean!
He is extremely busy these days and keeps me running whenever we are out. My trick of saying goodbye and walking away (which worked so well just a few weeks ago) is no longer a threat and makes him just run harder the other way. We also have to make sure to keep the front door locked as he loves to take a stroll around the neighborhood occasionally...unaccompanied.
His favorite words are stupid, dummy and meany (which he gleaned from his big brother!) and he uses them quite often. It was funny the first few times, but we have grown tired of it and have started "time-outs" or baking soda for the offenses. I am happy to report that it is working and he is using the words a lot less...either we are doing something right or he is just getting bored with the words. Whatever the case, I will take it!
He is 100% pure boy. He loves anything that flies, drives on 4 wheels (the bigger, the better) scoops, digs, makes noises or punches. When he puts on a cape he yells "super" and then punches the first thing he can make contact with...this is usually me since I am the one putting the cape on.
There was a time, just a short while ago that I was wishing that he would sit and watch a movie, if only for a few minutes. I got my wish and now that is usually the first thing out of his mouth in the morning "mooby!" He loves "cooby doo ere are you?" (Scooby doo) Shrek and the Gummi Bears. He also loves Super Why on PBS (or anything "super-related"!)
Another favorite of his is digging in the backyard. Our yard is all rocks and dirt and to him, it's just a giant sandbox. He loves to dig and get dirty and if you really want to see a happy camper, just add a little water.
He is talking quite a bit and we are understanding most of it. He gets pretty frustrated when we can't figure out what he is saying.
I love his kisses, (which I only get if I pretend that I don't like them!) he gives the best hugs while saying "squeeeeeeze" and his giggles are like magic! He is super cute and a lot of fun, despite his terrible two-ness...which keeps him alive most days! We sure can't imagine our lives without this little guy.
Here are a few recent pics: He found the winter clothes box!Riding a giant ant at the botanic gardens in Abq.My little Stripling Warrior. His head band says "I can be Honest." He sure loves nursery!On the big swing at Jesse's school. They had a picnic at the school for the familes. It was fun to have lunch with his big brother.