Spring Has Sprung

Weekly Update: This has been the most enjoyable spring I ever remember here in Arizona. Why? Well it took me a while to realize it but I think I figured it out. With the kids at home, we are outside so much and are really taking advantage of the beautiful weather. When they were at school, I was busy carpooling, and sitting in the house, they were busy at school and then came home w/ loads of home work. By the time they were out of school it was smoldering hot. Just one more reason to love home school!

On a side note, Kade's ear is really bothering him, the one that has the tube in it still. I am so worried he will have to have it surgically removed! I am praying hard from now until the 20th (his Dr. apt.) that the Dr. can just pull it out in the office, but it's not likely. Anythings possible with God though, so I'm still praying.

We have a new mama bird living in the same spot on our front porch overhang. She built her nest about a month ago and has been sitting on her eggs the whole time. The eggs finally hatched so we now have baby birds too. Sophia was so excited about it. She LOVES babies! Seeing this cute mama bird loving on her babies, beautiful blossoms all around and countless family members coming to visit, is a sure sign that spring has sprung!

Improvements: We have been so busy just plugging away, and going to home school activities. It's been so fun! To think a month or so ago, I wanted to throw in the towel, everyone feels like that now and then. The improvements I've made that are making all the difference are, putting forth more effort and planning, using time more wisely, not taking phone calls during study hours, blogging for journal purposes only, only watching 1-2 t.v. shows per week, studying the scriptures and praying daily, and reading like a crazy woman each morning and night. I am learning so much and feel so much better. The boys absolutely love it, it's such a great fit for our family. If it weren't for my allergies, I'd most likely conquer the world!

A few of my home school friends and I are creating a co-op. We will get together bi-weekly for now then weekly next year for science, geography and history lessons. It should work out good and force us to be more 'on the ball' w/ science experiments (for me at least).

Kade is about to lose his first tooth...the cute little bottom front tooth. I can hardly bare it...tear!

I'm finally on a food storage kick, stocking up and preparing so we'll be better equipped in an emergency. I'm trying to knock it out quickly rather than a little at a time (in true Jessica fashion I guess).

Reading: Jaxon's assigned book now is Jungle Book among many other 'free reads' he's working on. He has finally started his long anticipated book club. He's invited several of his friend both kids and adults. They are all so supportive of him and are planning on coming, I hope it works out. I know people are busy but I think it would be so great for these kids to have these young dads for mentors. It will really foster their love of learning. We are currently reading Little House in the Big Woods together, the boys love it and it gives them such a detailed account of what pioneer life was like. We will finish it today. Now the boys want to read the entire series, which I luckily bought last fall for $20 total at the used book store. I love that place, I just wish it was closer.

Good News: Kade exclaimed to us that he LOVES READING!! I have been waiting to hear those words for a long time and was beginning to wonder if that day would ever come. He's always loved having Jaxon read to him each night but he actually said HE loved reading. Since Jaxon just recently finished reading the entire Harry Potter series to him, I decided to make Kade do his own free reading each night. They still lay in their beds next to each other but read separate books. Now that Kade can read faster, he is doing great. I guess me being 'worried' if my 6 year old would ever LOVE reading was a little silly.

I just finished reading Leadership Education by the DeMille's. It's a great book about the Thomas Jefferson Education method. I am now starting on The Chosen as well as studying the Bible. I am anxious to start a new TJEd book club in the fall. It's a group of home school moms who are working on their 5 Pillar certification. We will be reading classics and writing papers along with what I hope will be awesome discussions. I am really looking forward to it. Until then, I'm going to start on my own and also reread The Well Educated Mind, it will help me learn how to really read and study a classic. I also am going to read The Thomas Jefferson Education Companion, it should help me implement that method more clearly.


Faith: We always start our day with a devotional (prayer, scriptures, & discussion). Sophia is getting better at sitting quiet during that time or as quiet as she can.

I feel like I am growing so much spiritually, it's been awesome to see God working in my life. I am fully aware of his answers to my prayers, it amazes me how he can look out for each one of us and be so loving and merciful.

Kimball is taking a bigger role in seeing that our family is spiritually fed too and I am grateful for it. It's so important for kids to see their dad showing faith and expressing his testimony of Christ. Jaxon and Kade look up to him so much and I remember what it's like to savor every moment you can get with your dad.

History: This week in history, we are focusing on our Savior. It just so happens that we are on that very chapter in Story Of The World so it works out well. Kade drew a picture of Jesus on the cross. I love how excited he gets when he's heard or read a good story. He'll jump up and ask if he can go draw a picture about it right away. Of course I say "yes" and he goes running off, then several minutes later brings me an adorable drawing that he is so proud of. Jaxon also likes to draw, usually Star Wars stuff or Harry Potter pictures. I am giving him more time at night just before bed to do some pencil drawings. He is loving it.

Free writing: Jaxon is writing a book called Kid Wars. He has also been needing more time for that, so I decided to let him use some of his quiet time to work on it. He is really excited about it and is always asking me "Do you really think this could possibly get published someday?" I tell him "Of course it could". He is really a talented writer for a ten year old, really for a 30 year old. I hope that he will always foster that gift whether it's as a hobby or a career. Today I'm going to suggest the boys write a poem of their own. All year they've been memorizing poems by Robert Louis Stevenson. They do an awesome job, it's amazing what young minds can remember. They are always making fun of me for forgetting things because I'm 'getting old'.

Fun: Kimball's taking the boys to the sand dunes this weekend with the Freeman's and probably Uncle Johnny. My sister in law Keri and my nieces Sam and Rachel are coming to visit me or I'd go too. Kade is going this time, I just hope they are safe! There was another death there a few weeks ago. I also knew a family who lost their 13 year old on mothers day due to a four wheel accident. It kind of scares me. Kade is beyond excited. He has never been on a guy's trip (other than the father's and sons).

Another fun thing, last weekend I bought a swing set for the kids. Kimball spent two days assembling it and the kids absolutely love it...especially Sophia. It was so cute there at the end, she went and sat next to Kimball under the hut area just helping him work and anxiously waiting for it to be finished. She was all smiles when she finally got to play on it. It was really made the weening of the t.v. easier. It's amazing how much more we all accomplish without the constant background noise of the t.v.

We had a fun BBQ last weekend w/ 3 other home school families here at our house. It was great for the kids to get together and play with their new friends and for all the dad's to get a chance to visit. We are SO lucky to have such a great group of home school families out here!

Funny Stuff: Kade said a funny thing in sacrament meeting last Sunday. We were taking the bread and water and Sophia was reaching to get a big hand full of bread. He said, "remember that time Sophia tried grabbing 4 pieces of bread? She REALLY must like the taste of Jesus' skin". We thought that was pretty funny. I just love how funny my kids are...they are definitely my favorite people in the whole world! I am so glad I get to spend all day with them. We were also watching a history movie and there was painting of a topless woman showed, I quickly told them to close their eyes. Jaxon asked why and Kade said in a really funny accent..."It was a neeeeple". He is always making references to his nipples and pulling down the collar of his shirt to show us his nipple. Here's a picture of Kade doing some more dance moves (a daily occurrence). There's never a dull moment around here. The boys had a grand time pranking my on April Fool's Day. They schemed and plotted for several weeks in advance. They even checked out several books from the library on jokes and pranks to help them prepare. Here are the things they did...

1. Jaxon sent me an email that morning saying something like this..."this email contains a funny virus".
2. Lotion on the toilet seat.
3. Elastic on the handle of the kitchen sink sprayer.
4. Flour in my hair dryer.
5. Hid the t.v. remote the entire day (good thing we recently quit w/ the t.v. or we'd have gone CRAZY...we didn't notice until that night).

Sophia was recently stung by a bee, ever since, she is deathly afraid of flies. She cries and gets all crazy every time she sees one. It's pretty funny. She likes it when I grab the fly swatter and start killing them, pointing at them and saying "fy mama fy", or sometimes she'll call them bee's. She's so dang cute. It's kind of sad though, I hate for her to be scared of something like that, because they are unavoidable!

More news on the toddler front, Sophia has gotten into the nail polish 3 times now. Last Saturday, I was working on the budget, Kimball was putting together the swing set and the kids were playing in the toy room...or so we thought. Sophia was actually painting her finger nails and toe nails on my bedroom carpet. Someone had forgotten to lock my door and it ended up all over the floor. Just a small hiccup in my busy day! Would someone learn their lesson and just put it up already!?!