7

I have discovered something about myself over the past couple of years...I am a complete and total book snob.  For years I have wondered why I fill my evening hours watching TV shows like American Idol, The Voice,  Design Star and White Collar rather than opening up a book and reading.  Then about a year ago I had an epiphany.  I watch TV at night because I can mulit-task while doing it...folding laundry, sorting school papers, making lunches, folding more laundry, eating ice cream (hey, it's still multi-tasking, right?).  Of course I do read some...my scriptures every morning...dozens of children's books throughout the week and then a few books throughout the year for myself.  It's okay if I count parenting type books as books for myself, right?  For this reason I am really picky about what I read.  I may be one of the only women on the planet who started the Twilight series and didn't finish it.  I got annoyed with the writing.  Seriously, I am a snob. I'll admit it, but a book has to really be worth my time for me to read it from cover to cover.  Hopefully someday I will make more time for reading for my own enjoyment.

Last Spring my sister recommended a book to me entitled "7, an experimental mutiny against excess".  The writer is a Christian Women's minister who tackles the "excesses" in different areas of her life.  Each month, for seven months, she concentrates on a different topic including:  food, clothes, possessions, media, waste, spending and stress.  I absolutely ATE this book up.  My friend Jen read the book with me and it was interesting how different parts of the author's experiment spoke to each of us.  For the month of May I tried to give away 7 things everyday, along with my sister, mom and my friends Kirsten and Beth (Jen is already an anti-pack rat and didn't need to tackle this area of her life).  What a  liberating month. I gave away two van-loads full of "stuff" that was not adding to my life or the lives of my family members.  I found a home for all of our baby boy things and luckily have a new little niece who was the recipient of our baby girl things. Jed read the book with me and, being a minimalist himself, was all over it. 

Purging "stuff" wasn't the only thing that I gained from this book, however.  I appreciated the opportunity to look at my life and see where things are out of whack.  Where could I simplify and make more room for the things that really matter?  At one point in "7" the author quotes her husband (also a minister) as saying that if you think about your life and see things that you "can't live without"...well, those are your idols....bam...I'll admit it...I worship sugar.  Gotta work on that...and a few other things. 

Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I am currently reading the "Percy Jackson Series".  Yes, I am screening it for my boys, but I am truthfully enjoying it.  

Priceless

This was my favorite of all of Davis' kindergarten work.  Priceless.

Nine

 Owen did it again...he insisted on having yet ANOTHER birthday...this time he turned NINE.  

I can hardly believe it.
(The sign above says "Happy Birthday Owen" and "Hippie")

 A few of Owen's favorite things...Money, the movie "Tin Tin"...

 Legos, Heros, Bionicles...all things produced by the Lego Company...

 Hardy Boy Books...

 Airplanes (really he loves the military planes right now)...

 Riding his bike...

Apple Crisp, Pizza, hamburgers, ice cream, SOCCER, Star Wars game on the computer, swimming, hiking, cub scouts, camping and outdoor movie parties.  

Love You Owen!

Kinder Soccer

 The soccer season is upon us once again and this year Kate asked if she could play.  

Week One: the first half is practice and that went fine.  Kate was a bit standoffish, but did well.  The second half is the "game" against another team.  Nobody keeps score.  No goalie. Just lots of parents cheering.  This pretty much sums up the second half for Kate....

She would have been fine if everyone could have turned away, but she was terrified with people watching her.  Sweet Owen was cheering from the sidelines and trying every bribe he could think of to get her to try.  

Week Two:  All the parents are asking, "Who is this child?" It's like another girl came with us to the field.  I guess she got it all out of her because she was in there attacking that ball...oh and pushing all of the other kids.  When I yelled from the sidelines, "Kate no pushing!" She yelled back, "But I have to get the ball!"  Uh, we'll have to work on that one.  She is used to playing with Dad and two older brothers.  Sorry that I don't have those pics to counteract those of Week One....

First days of School!

The boys had their first day of school the day after Labor Day.

 3rd Grade!

 1st Grade!

 Oh, how we love these boys...

 We are OVER THE MOON that Davis has Mrs. Smith and Owen has Mrs. Kantola this year.

 Then the next week it was Kate's turn...KINDERGARTEN!

 This is the happy, excited, anxious girl that we saw at home...

 Just before these pictures she told me that she was really scared...her eyes filled with tears and so did mine.  Before she could see, I said, "It's going to be so fun...come on...let's go take some pictures!"

I was truthfully sweating it with Kate, but once she saw Mr. Courtney, she didn't say anything else to me.  She nodded when I asked if she was ready for me to leave, so the boys and I slipped out of her class.  So grateful that she knows and loves Mr. Courtney.  She had gone everyday the week before to his classroom to say "hi" to him and was actually at the point where she was jabbering away with him by that first day.  I am pretty sure she doesn't say much in class even several days into school because when she comes home she won't stop TALKING/shouting/cheering/singing.  What was her response to, "How was your first day of school?" ?????  "LONG!"...boy was she tired!

Oakdale

Two weeks before school started I was already feeling burnt out.  Jed was working over time with his business partner gone for the month.  I always realize how much I rely on him when he is not available.  Also, our family is blessed with AMAZING friends, but like most things in life too much of anything can throw everything out of whack.  I think once again I had forgotten to draw boundaries around our family and our time.  Play dates, park day, birthday parties, etc. had filled our summer days with fun, fun, fun.  Then there were all of the things that I was determined to teach the kids in these school free months...how to cook new things, tie our shoes, memorize our phone number and a few scriptures, read a zillion books, sort and fold the laundry...and on and on and on.  Unfortunately, after these jam packed days I still had my own work, church and home responsibilities which filled my nights.  Basically, I was tired...really tired.  I felt my body shutting down.  I told Jed, "Next Summer I am going to go to my parent's for two weeks...they can take care of the kids and I will just get my stuff done and recharge!" To this Jed responded, "Why don't you go tomorrow?"  Hmmmm...this got me thinking....the next morning my Mom called out of the blue to check in and that sealed the deal.  24 hours later the van was packed and the kids and I were in Oakdale.  It was exactly what I needed.  My Aunt and Uncle were there from Southern CA, my sweet high school and college friends said EXACTLY what I needed to hear as I visited with them and our little girls became friends, the speaker in church spoke directly to me with her words of wisdom regarding the power that prayer can have in our lives, I sewed, canned, made gifts for friends, got things done for work and church, paid bills, blogged, ate my mom's food, watched movies and swam with my babies...it was EXACTLY what I needed.  We ignored dishes and messes and my mom and dad made memories with my kids...building things, sewing, playing wii, eating doughnuts and playing with my old toys.  I wished that Jed could have been there too and had his "cup filled".  The one thing he did gain by being supportive...he got his happy wife back. Win/Win situation.

 The girls played for hours with our old doll house...made me smile to look through all of the furniture and dolls.

 Need I say more, we love to swim...

 The girls could not get enough of Nana in the pool.

 Papa's movie theater...always a treat.

 My Dad made the kids get up and "Mousercise" with him.  Love it.

 Two of my childhood friends have girls close to Kate's age. For those of you who knew us then, don't they look like mini Erica, Amy and Shannon?

I am so grateful. 

Simplify

 We have the word "Simplify" all over our house.  It has become our family's motto and it is a constant struggle to implement it into our lives.  This night is a reminder to me of why we strive to simplify our lives....I want more nights like this one...

 Home Made Ice Cream

 Playing with my monkeys...I know that the days are numbered with them actually wanting me to play with them.  I need to take more time for this...

This picture of Gracie makes me laugh.  She wanted me to play with her on the swing set.  I told her I just want one quick picture of her first.  She plopped herself on the lawn, smiled like this and then said, "okay, let's go play".  Do I have her trained or WHAT?

Gracie's Reading Retreat

Being the youngest of 4, sometimes Gracie has to be creative as to where she can have a quite moment to herself.  This is where I found her "reading" last week. 

Owen and Davis' watering business

This Summer Owen and Davis were hired for a couple of jobs watering plants and feeding animals while our friends were out of town.  One friend insisted that she would only pay the boys after she received a proper bill.  This gave me the chance to talk to the boys about writing and paying bills.  I think they did a fine job.  

What do you think?

Camera Happy

 Okay, brace yourselves this is going to be another long...mostly photos "catch-up" posts...Have I mentioned I had fun with my new camera this Summer?  Here are a few other things we did...

 Kids loved the Slip 'n Slide Kate got for her birthday.

 The boys made 16,000 new Lego Creations.

 The boys continued to sleep together...always on the floor.  Why did we buy them a bed again?

 We went blueberry picking!  Yum!

 Kate used her own money to buy a new doll named "Lilly"...I think she loves her doll as much as her new baby cousin of the same name.

 Owen took a big hit to the head from the scope of the hunting rifle that my Dad gave Jed.  Both Owen and Jed underestimated the kick of the gun.  No need to ask, Jed felt REALLY bad.

 We had swimming lessons at Miss Barb's.

 The kids, especially Owen, caught and photographed 6,000 creatures....the favorites were frogs, grasshoppers and preying mantis'.

 We went bowling with preschool friends.

 We went camping with church friends...played in the water and tried to break records eating watermelon.

 The kids took turns filling the horses' trough.

 Davis kept us laughing!

 Gracie learned to write a "G" by tracing her name.

 Kate and Gracie learned to fold their own laundry!  The kids folded their own clothes this summer.  They were so proud and I was in HEAVEN!

 The kids proved that they could still all fit in Jed's lap for story reading.

 Kate went with friend's to a Princess Manners party....adorable.

 Gracie attempted to live in her swim suit.

Jed and I found second-hand bikes and a trailer and are loving riding with the kids. 
Yes, I think we did have a good Summer after all.