Ya know what? I live a great life. We don't have a house or a lot of money, but I have all I need. We have a great, safe place to live with the best yard ever...I don't have to mow, rake leaves or water. The kids can ride bikes, play on a playground, practice cheerleading, play golf, play volleyball and just be kids out in our "yard." I have six kids that are healthy and happy, most of the time. Today we got to go to the skating rink with a BUNCH of friends from 3rd grade to celebrate Hyrum's birthday (a few months late). I drive an awesome van...it seats 12 and all seats are captain. The kids don't even sit right by each other - there is an aisle in the middle of the van. I have a new computer. I get to go to school. My kids go to an amazing school that requires a lot of me, so much that I consider regularly leaving, but they learn so much and have such good friends that we are in it for the long haul. I have great friends that I LOVE!! I have an amazing husband that loves our children and me! I am healthy and learning daily how to become more so, especially with my new "stress management" class. (I really am learning a lot in that class!) I have the gospel. I know that my Father in Heaven loves me a TON and that his goal for me is to succeed. He wants me and my family to return to Him. I live really close to a temple and the last 2 times I was able to go, I got to go WITH my husband - THAT is a MAJOR blessing for me. I am sealed to my husband and children. I know about Jesus Christ and what He has done as my elder brother who loves me so that I can return to live with Him and my Father again. I am blessed beyond my comprehension.
Lately I have been feeling really blessed. No, everything has not been going my way, but I have many moments lately of what I will call love. Moments with my kids where my heart is so full that all I can do is grab them and give them a HUGE hug and tell them that I love them SOOOO much. Moments of driving down the street and just seeing the beautiful trees and homes and enjoying the time in which I live. Moments of a clean house, and I do mean moments, when I feel like I can do this...have 6 kids AND a clean house. Moments of love and happiness. I hope you can and do have moments like this. It is those moments that I am striving to look for now. I am trying to brush off the other moments and hang onto these moments!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Camp Nauvoo
The first weekend in September was our annual trek to Camp Nauvoo. Camp Nauvoo is the church-owned campsite in Placerville (about an hour or so east of us) that we go to with our ward once each year. Every year our ward gets assigned a weekend. It was sooooo much FUN!!!
We got there right before it started getting dark and had to rush to get the tent setup. As soon as we were done, Nephi had a great time inside the tent!!! He is a funny little man - side note here - he LOVES to sit and stand places. Sounds weird, I know! He just goes to obscure places and sits down. He kind of nestles in and then sits there, sometimes until someone acknowleges that he is sitting there and then he gives one of his "I'm having a blast" smiles. It is soooo funny!!!
Okay, back to camping. Helaman and Gloria had a marvelous time throwing rocks in the creek. Helaman's goal was to get it "all the way across" and he was successful most of the time. It does help that the creek was only about 3 feet across...if that!
The kids also had a great time on the "rafts." These are new since the last time we went to Camp Nauvoo. Faith was a natural. Vilate took a little teaching - she kept pushing herself in the wrong direction. Hyrum was a little hesitant at first, but once on got the hang of it and was pretty upset when it was time to go home. Gloria and Helaman loved to ride on the rafts. I think that if our kids were given the choice, they would have stayed there forever!!! But what kid wouldn't?
Just before he left, Brother Ubaldi threated to throw Faith in the creek. The night before he tried to throw Vilate into the fire. What a silly guy! He sure makes the kids laugh, although with Helaman, there is no separation of fiction and reality, so he got a little concerned!! But Faith thought it was pretty cool to hang over the side of the bridge...just so we are clear, Faith could stand in that water...and he did have a really good hold on her!!
Also while we were there Vilate pet the dog! This dog was way cool!! It just laid there, wherever it was and paid absolutely NO attention to what was going on around it!!! It has been there for years. (I don't remember if "it" is a boy or girl...sorry doggie) I am pretty sure it is the same dog that was there when I went to girls' camp years ago!!! Vilate was so proud of herself. She is getting soooo much better!!! Yay Vilate!!!!!!!!
We stopped at Jack in the Box on the way there and the way back for dinner and then lunch. The kids were facinated. This was their first Jack in the Box experience. It was hilarious. You would've thought that we took them to lobster or steaks at the most expensive, top of the line restaurant. Since we have been home they are always asking to go there again!! Kinda funny those kids of mine!!!
So, Camp Nauvoo is done. Summer is really over!!! It was a success and we had a BLAST!!!! Thanks go out to all who helped us and who worked so hard on coordinating the activity! For us...it was a great ward activity and we can't wait for next year!!!!
We got there right before it started getting dark and had to rush to get the tent setup. As soon as we were done, Nephi had a great time inside the tent!!! He is a funny little man - side note here - he LOVES to sit and stand places. Sounds weird, I know! He just goes to obscure places and sits down. He kind of nestles in and then sits there, sometimes until someone acknowleges that he is sitting there and then he gives one of his "I'm having a blast" smiles. It is soooo funny!!!
Okay, back to camping. Helaman and Gloria had a marvelous time throwing rocks in the creek. Helaman's goal was to get it "all the way across" and he was successful most of the time. It does help that the creek was only about 3 feet across...if that!
The kids also had a great time on the "rafts." These are new since the last time we went to Camp Nauvoo. Faith was a natural. Vilate took a little teaching - she kept pushing herself in the wrong direction. Hyrum was a little hesitant at first, but once on got the hang of it and was pretty upset when it was time to go home. Gloria and Helaman loved to ride on the rafts. I think that if our kids were given the choice, they would have stayed there forever!!! But what kid wouldn't?
Just before he left, Brother Ubaldi threated to throw Faith in the creek. The night before he tried to throw Vilate into the fire. What a silly guy! He sure makes the kids laugh, although with Helaman, there is no separation of fiction and reality, so he got a little concerned!! But Faith thought it was pretty cool to hang over the side of the bridge...just so we are clear, Faith could stand in that water...and he did have a really good hold on her!!
Also while we were there Vilate pet the dog! This dog was way cool!! It just laid there, wherever it was and paid absolutely NO attention to what was going on around it!!! It has been there for years. (I don't remember if "it" is a boy or girl...sorry doggie) I am pretty sure it is the same dog that was there when I went to girls' camp years ago!!! Vilate was so proud of herself. She is getting soooo much better!!! Yay Vilate!!!!!!!!
We stopped at Jack in the Box on the way there and the way back for dinner and then lunch. The kids were facinated. This was their first Jack in the Box experience. It was hilarious. You would've thought that we took them to lobster or steaks at the most expensive, top of the line restaurant. Since we have been home they are always asking to go there again!! Kinda funny those kids of mine!!!So, Camp Nauvoo is done. Summer is really over!!! It was a success and we had a BLAST!!!! Thanks go out to all who helped us and who worked so hard on coordinating the activity! For us...it was a great ward activity and we can't wait for next year!!!!
Monday, August 25, 2008
PROGRESS!!!!!!
This past weekend we brought the hampster home from 1st grade and Vilate had her hand in the cage and was petting it and had no problems when the other kids let it crawl on the floor!!! Then today I went in to the 1st grade classroom with just Vilate and Faith during Vilate's lunch. The bunny got out of the cage and Vilate did really well while it hopped around the classroom. She walked around the room and only jumped a little when it hopped near here. She refused to sit on the floor, but would sit on my lap. It was really encouraging!!
Then when I picked her up from school she told me that she pet the bunny again and that she even pet a big, black dog!!! AWESOME VILATE!!!!!!
Progress is being made!!!! I am going to go back to the classroom on Thursday, maybe before!! I am so pleased!!!
Then when I picked her up from school she told me that she pet the bunny again and that she even pet a big, black dog!!! AWESOME VILATE!!!!!!
Progress is being made!!!! I am going to go back to the classroom on Thursday, maybe before!! I am so pleased!!!
Bragging Rights
Let me just start off this post with a disclamer....if you hate to hear how other people's kids are doing in school...skip this post!!
Today in the mail I got Faith and Hyrum's STAR testing results. For those of you not familiar with STAR testing...it is the California Standards test that is administered from 2nd grade on. Last spring the kids took the tests...Faith was in 3rd grade and Hyrum was in 2nd grade.
I opened Hyrum's and he is advanced in both language arts and mathmatics!! WAY TO GO HYRUM!!!! He works pretty hard and always feels like he is not doing good enough so it was great to be able to tell him that he was advanced!! Then I opened up Faith's...she got a PERFECT score on the math and is in the advanced catagory for language arts! I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for her!!! Of course, we only told them both that they did very well and were in the advanced catagories, that way they will know that we expect more of their work! Good job kids!!!
Today in the mail I got Faith and Hyrum's STAR testing results. For those of you not familiar with STAR testing...it is the California Standards test that is administered from 2nd grade on. Last spring the kids took the tests...Faith was in 3rd grade and Hyrum was in 2nd grade.
I opened Hyrum's and he is advanced in both language arts and mathmatics!! WAY TO GO HYRUM!!!! He works pretty hard and always feels like he is not doing good enough so it was great to be able to tell him that he was advanced!! Then I opened up Faith's...she got a PERFECT score on the math and is in the advanced catagory for language arts! I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for her!!! Of course, we only told them both that they did very well and were in the advanced catagories, that way they will know that we expect more of their work! Good job kids!!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Phobia's Stink
Anyone out there have a phobia? They are terrible!! Vilate has one. A terrible one. One that I don't think I can deal with anymore. She is afraid of animals. At first it was just dogs, then cats. Okay, those I can kind of understand...dogs have never been my favorite, unless they were my own. I just can't predict what they are going to do...I don't like the unknown. Cats I can understand, well not the fear, but I certainly don't care for them. But...the worst has started to show itself. The end of May we went to Yosemite (see previous posts). She sat in the car for the first few house, terrified of...SQUIRRELS! Ugh!! Who is afraid of a squirrel?!?!?! That would be Vilate.
So over the summer I took her to a psychologist at Kaiser. He said that she needs "full immersion therapy." Basically take her to a house where a nice dog resides and make her love the dog. I was not dilligent (is that how that is spelled?). I did not do it. I didn't want to impose on my friends and have to take all SIX of my kids to their houses daily for 2 weeks...it just sounded like a lot to ask. Now this problem has become a monster that I need to kill NOW!!
Vilate is in 1st grade at Mission Avenue Open School. It is an amazing school! I really love it. She is in Miss Rausch's class. We have never had Miss Rausch before, but I am loving her class....the only drawback............she has ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a bunny that hops around the classroom for 1/2 the day everyday! Vilate spent the first day sitting in the teacher's chair screaming and crying because she was so frightened. Everyday, so far we have completed 4, is becoming harder for her. She got up this morning and begged me to let her stay home! Here is the conversation:
"Mom, I don't want to go to school."
"Vilate, you will be fine. Remember that you had a good day yesterday. You even petted the bunny."
"NO" insert tears here "I HATE SCHOOL"
"No, you don't"
"Yes, I do. Well, I like school, but I am just so scared of the bunny."
So, what do I do? Any ideas? While talking to a great friend of mine we determined that it is probably a good idea to do the dog immersion, but we should also do an immediate bunny immersion, one on one. I am going to start on Monday taking the 3 kids at home to school at lunch and taking Vilate in her classroom while the other kids are playing outside. Maybe if it is just me, and the little kids, and her, we can overcome this hurdle. I don't know what to do...but I have to come up with something, today she came home from school and said that one of the girls called her a cry-baby. So sad!!! I am anxiously awaiting your brilliant ideas...anyone?
So over the summer I took her to a psychologist at Kaiser. He said that she needs "full immersion therapy." Basically take her to a house where a nice dog resides and make her love the dog. I was not dilligent (is that how that is spelled?). I did not do it. I didn't want to impose on my friends and have to take all SIX of my kids to their houses daily for 2 weeks...it just sounded like a lot to ask. Now this problem has become a monster that I need to kill NOW!!
Vilate is in 1st grade at Mission Avenue Open School. It is an amazing school! I really love it. She is in Miss Rausch's class. We have never had Miss Rausch before, but I am loving her class....the only drawback............she has ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a bunny that hops around the classroom for 1/2 the day everyday! Vilate spent the first day sitting in the teacher's chair screaming and crying because she was so frightened. Everyday, so far we have completed 4, is becoming harder for her. She got up this morning and begged me to let her stay home! Here is the conversation:
"Mom, I don't want to go to school."
"Vilate, you will be fine. Remember that you had a good day yesterday. You even petted the bunny."
"NO" insert tears here "I HATE SCHOOL"
"No, you don't"
"Yes, I do. Well, I like school, but I am just so scared of the bunny."
So, what do I do? Any ideas? While talking to a great friend of mine we determined that it is probably a good idea to do the dog immersion, but we should also do an immediate bunny immersion, one on one. I am going to start on Monday taking the 3 kids at home to school at lunch and taking Vilate in her classroom while the other kids are playing outside. Maybe if it is just me, and the little kids, and her, we can overcome this hurdle. I don't know what to do...but I have to come up with something, today she came home from school and said that one of the girls called her a cry-baby. So sad!!! I am anxiously awaiting your brilliant ideas...anyone?
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