Mommy Marathon

October 1st starts the beginning of, what I feel is like, the Holiday Mommy marathon.  I plan my route...go straight to the Halloween decorating, make a left at the Halloween sugar cookies,

keep going until you get to the pumpkin patch (twice) and make sure not to forget your camera,

Round 1 was at Christian Way Farms 

Jake thought his friends looked cool with their faces and hair painted. 

This was the time that he has ever been interested in having it done too.  

Round two!  Hanging out at the Pig Races!

Scarlett was less than interested in our family selfie

Success!

Jake even slept through the transfer into the house...that NEVER happens anymore!

then make a right at pumpkin decorating.

...oh crap! it is Halloween Eve and you still don't have costumes finalized and you need to finish planning the Halloween Homeschool party!

Fall Firsts

This fall feels the the start of a new phase in my life...in the life of our family.  We have officially become a family with weekly activities.  We, of course, have dabbled in this with Jake over the past couple of years, but now the James' name has joined the weekly calendar, I feel like the chauffeur cap is one I'd better get use to.

1) CC

Here are the boys on there first day of Classical Conversations, the homeschool group we are participating in this year.

Jake's sleepy eyes are giving away that CC has us up and moving much earlier than a "normal" day.  Luckily, he is so excited to go each week that he doesn't even mind the mad morning rush.  I think CC is a great fit for us.  I feel like it is just the right amount of "school" each week.  It is just enough for him to have a little independence and autonomy, develop relationships with peers and other adults, and learn to take instruction from someone other than me or Arthur.  But as much as he enjoys his CC time, he did tell me that he would still rather have me as his everyday teacher.  Good thing too, cause he is stuck with me.

This sweet face is in my class each week.  That's right, I have re-entered the work force (once a week for three hours while I wear one of babies, teach another another one of my babies, and share a wall with the classroom of my oldest baby)!  James is luke-warm about the whole thing while we are there.  I don't think he is crazy about sharing me.  But he is picking up the "grammar" like crazy, and he can be heard skip counting and singing history sentence songs all over the house.  Not to mention, his ability to spout off facts about the human body and list off nearly every one of the 50 states and their capitials.  

At the end of the three hour separation, these boys are usually pretty excited to be reunited and to get out side to play with their friends.  

I appreciate that family is the focus of this group.  I feel like public school can decrease a parents value in a child's eyes.  And I like that each meeting begins with us sitting together as a family at morning assembly and ends with us sitting together again while we eat our lunch.  I feel so blessed that I get to be a part of nearly all of their day every day.  I try hard not to take it for granted.

2) James starts violin!

This fall James joined Jake as a violin student with Miss Robin.  He was so excited to start his first day!
  

He was a little bummed when he realized that his bow didn't even get to touch the strings during his first lesson.  

And he was down right upset when he had to "sit and watch" the other boys play during group lesson.  Luckily, this is not Miss Robin's first rodeo and she got him out of his slump and excited again after a week or two.  Now he is happily using his bow to play the beginning of Twinkle and See Saw.

Speaking of See Saw, I could have sworn that Jacob was just learning that one!  Now he is able to play so many pieces.  Listening him practice has started to be very enjoyable for all of us.  I love to listen to him play Oh Come Little Children and Arthur's favorite is Old Dan Tucker.  This semester he is also learning to site read.  But the thing that impresses me the most is that he is his growing ability to play back phrases of music after hearing them only once or twice.  When Miss Robin first introduced this I remember being skeptical as he struggled to find the notes she had just played, but I have been so impressed with how quickly he is picking it up!

3) Family Bowl Nights

I was really struggling with our weekly Family Home Evening.  It was difficult for me to plan another lesson and activity on top of our homeschooling week (which includes a New Testament devoltional each morning and family Book of Mormon study each night) and planning my weekly CC lesson.  It felt a little overwhelming and redundant, but at the same time, I wanted to follow the council of your prophet and other church leaders.  After some serious prayer, I recalled a line from the Proclamation to the World that mentions the importance of wholesome recreational activities with our families.  It was light a lightbulb went off.  Yes!!  That is exactly what we need, especially since Arthur has been juggling his army duties with the pressures of starting a new business.  We all could use some fun...a time to relax, laugh, and just be together.

Seal-a-versary

This weekend marks the anniversary of the most important day our family has ever had...or will ever have.  On January 4, 2008 Arthur and I became a family for time, but on October 29, 2013 we were sealed as a family for eternity.

You may wonder why it has taken a year for this incredible day to be memorialized on this little online journal of mine...and to be honest, I am not exactly sure.

I think part of it was superficial.  The day "looked" very little like I had imagined it would.  Originally, I had hoped we would be able to make a trip to Utah so my grandfather, a temple sealer would be able to perform the ceremony.  I also thought being in Utah would make it possible for many members of my extended family to attend (not to mention meet my husband of nearly 6 years) and share in our special day.  However, due to scheduling issues and finances, such a trip was unrealistic.

Another issue, was that I looked different than I imagined I would...I was 7 months pregnant, after all.  And as excited as I was to have our baby girl join our family, I did wish I could remove me baby bump and have my waist back just for the day (I told you this was superficial).  White dress and tiny waist seem synonymous, right?   However, with that not being an option, for obvious reasons, my mother offered to buy me a wedding/sealing dress that would be compliment my "delicate condition."  It took me weeks to decide on the "perfect" dress, and I was so excited when I placed the order.  But attempting to order a custom dress over the phone while trying to use current measurements to predicted my measurements 3 months later proved to be less than successful.  And my excitement at the dress' arrival, quickly turned to uncontrollable tears.  My beautiful dress was unwearable without a breast reduction for my top half and maybe a pregnancy of quadruplets on the bottom (think white circus tent).

It did not get better from there.  I had pictured gorgeous soft curls pulled away from my face.  I could even see a white flower or two pinned into my golden tresses.  That dream began to die with a hair cut that left me with awkward bangs, and highlights that had to be "corrected" twice.  And then it was officially pronounced dead when my "primping" time was used getting two little boys fed, dressed, and in the car on time for the hour and 20 minute drive to the temple.  I was lucky I had time to put on some mascara.

During the time I was still living in my fairytale, I had planned on flying out one of my close friends who is an incredible photographer to document the day.  I could almost see the pictures full of [obviously staged] candid poses that I would want wall paper my house with.  Perfect shots of Arthur and me looking deeply into each other's eyes looking madly in love (if you aren't laughing yet, you haven't met us).  Sweet pictures of us with our boys, all of us looking happy and peaceful, as we glowed in the sacredness of the day.  Well, obviously, I was delusional and not just dreaming on this one, even if I had been able to get Fiona to Tennessee.  So I traded Fiona and my magazine spread ideal, for a freezing windy day, a camera no one knew how to use but me, and boys who had little interest in standing still one more second.

I know I sound like I am complaining.  And at the time, I probably was.  Between being a crazy hormonal mess and the natural let down at the end of a big event, I honestly couldn't even look through the pictures.  All I could see where the blaring differences from what I had "wanted" and I actually got.

But I think the Lord used all of it to teach me a valuable lesson.  I did get exactly what I want.  Our family is sealed together, forever, for all time and all eternity.  My amazing husband and these incredible little people, that we have been blessed to learn and grow with, can be mine...always.  No matter the endings and goodbyes we may have to face in this life, our life as a family will continue.

Through the sealing power of the priesthood, our opportunity to make and keep sacred covenants with our Father in Heaven, and ultimately because of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, families can be forever.  Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation provides more than a way for our individual salvation, it is often called the "Plan of Happiness" because it is a way for us to return to Him as families.  There is nothing that shows His love for the children of man in a deeper way.  

So as I sit here and reflect a full year later, I know that the dress, the hair, the photos, not even the temple sealer could have made the day more special.  The way that day was wrapped, had no impact on the beauty of the gift we received.

We were blessed to have shared the day with my parents, my sister, my almost sister Laura, and some very dear friends.

Nine months young

There is no doubt that this girl is the princess of our house.  

Little Miss got her first tooth this past week.  Just the day before it popped through, I wondered aloud to Arthur, whether this girl would ever get teeth.  And then when we woke up the next morning, there it was.  She won't show it to me, though.  When we try to take a peek she will just stick her little tongue over it.  She is, however, more than happy to bite us with her little razor blade, so we have to be careful not to get our finger too close. 

The boys, of course, love to take turns having their finger chopped on (regardless of how many times I ask them to keep their fingers out of her mouth).  Scarlett bites with all her might, they dramatically howl in pain, and then everyone busts out laughing...who am I to ruin the fun?!  I wonder if they will all be laughing when she is biting them with a mouth full on teeth rather than just a tiny front bottom tooth?  Well, they can't say I didn't warn them.

This girl LOVES to laugh!  Her infectious giggle fills our days (and sometimes the middle of our nights too).  Last week she started, what I refer to as, her "big girl laugh."  Arthur thinks she is trying to mimic my laugh.  I'm not sure where she got it, but it sounds so funny coming out of her tiny little self.

Scarlett turned nine months yesterday, but she already acts like such a big girl.  She stands, waves, climbs stairs, and is dangerously close to walking.  And don't be fooled by this angelic face, the girl is fast and determined!  She will be pulling forks out of the dishwasher, half way up the stair case, or splashing in the dogs water bowl (that one is her favorite!) before you even realize she is on the move.

She amazes me every day!  I love watching her assess her surroundings, closely observe her brothers, experiment and problem solve!  She is one smart girl, and I feel that through her beautiful eyes I can watch the wheels turning and connections being made in that growing brain of hers.

Each morning, while I make breakfast she happily entertains herself in our homeschool room.  She slides out the baskets of toys from the selves to retrieve her favorite things, or crawls to the little drums and pounds on them for a few minutes.  Last week is discovered she could pull down books and craft paper too...

And to no one's surprise (at least no one who has met me or her brothers), Scarlett is a talker.  While most of it is still sweet baby babble.  More and more "real" words are emerging.  Mama was first, with Dada close behind.  "No No No!" with the accompanying head shake and "Bubye" with or without the slow and deliberate hand wave have also joined her repertoire.  Recently she has started using a clear "B" sound directed and the boys and a "M" sound for more (usually more of my ice cream).  And with Tio Lui now living with us, I am hearing lots more practice with that "L" sound.  Sometimes I can't believe how much she reminds me of Jake at his age.  

Another favorite Scarlett routine is her crawl down the hall into the boys room.  She will push open their door, crawl to the train table, stand up, play for a few minutes, and crawl back to me when she is done.  Her independent nature makes me smile and I love listening to her tiny hands slap the hard wood    with such purpose and determination.  Arthur's favorite is the one knee one skateboard technique she frequently uses.  I guess if you are going to do something, you should do it with style.

While this girl has can be fierce and independent, she is a mama's girl through and through.  But I don't mind being the center of her world because I certainly couldn't imagine mine with her.

I adore you Sweet Girl!  There are times when I wish you would nap longer than 20 minutes, and days I wish I could shower alone or cook dinner with two hands, but your brothers have already taught me how quickly you will grow.  So I will soak up this baby time.  I will run my fingers through your silky hair while you nurse, memorize the warmth of your chubby hands as you grip mine while you try to walk, relish your excitement when I walk into a room (even if I just walked out), and I will welcome every gooey open mouth kiss you ever give me.  But as much as I love you little, I am excited to watch you grow.  You are a special girl, with a special purpose and you will do amazing things.  I love you with all my heart!

Tiny Bubbles

I'm a little worried that when I turn this into the 2014 blog book, it is going to look like the Scarlett show...  But honestly, my boys do not slow down long enough for a good picture!  One of these days I will do an iphone purge of the thousands of pictures I have of them.  But for now, I hope you enjoy the bubbles and baby bum as much as I do. :-)

I try for 15 minutes to get a smile...then her brothers walk in.