What's Happening In Our Neck Of The Woods

Keeley was so excited to start dance class back in Spring. I was excited for her because I always wanted to dance growing up but never got to with so many kids and so little money. I guess I live through her on this one! It makes her happy, especially getting to dress up in fancy costumes with her hair all done up :)

She showed me what pose they did for the dance pictures.
Keeley and a few other girls knew most of the moves but the other kids had NO idea! hahaha, it made it so cute to watch! The girl they had in black on the side to help show them what to do also forgot the dance. It didn't help that she had 3 teachers in the last 4 months so establishing a routine for it took till the 3rd teacher came. So they had a month and a half to learn it with class once a week! It was so fun and cute to watch though! I asked Keeley if she was scared up on stage. She said she wasn't scared, she just didn't know that there was going to be SOOO many people there to watch! She has always wanted to be in front of people so this was fun for her!They had professional video company there so they wouldn't let us take flash photography or our own video, which was really frustrating since $20 for my girls first 4 min dance recital is so not in my budget, so I snuck some fast non-flash shots in and they still told me off! Grrrrr! So a few of the dance and after are a bit blurred. Oh well! I'll take it! She's 3rd from the left.
I got one half decent shot after all the kids were coming out on stage.Keeley is the 3rd one in from the left.
I had to take a good picture after all the other attempts to get a good one during. She had so much fun! It was also so fun to watch!
She has another one in Spring so I will be better prepared with my camera and video! :0

The Home School Program that we are involved with had a Eagle watch boat cruise last Friday. It was seriously cold but we did get to see a TON of Eagles. My friend Stacey and I took some pictures. They turned out great! It was great for the kids because they taught the kids a lot about Eagles. They had a great time.

Jarrin and Jessica watching a movie together. I believe in arranged marriages! hehehe

Sawyer found a bag of chips and decided it would be fun to see what it would be like to dump them out and then step on them. He really liked the crunch sound it made :)
I love his mischievous smile he gave me when I asked him what he was doing.
Then while I was cleaning up, he thought it would make me even more excited to get into the bathroom and get my mineral powder and dump it everywhere.
Yeah it was fun........................................

So let me just start by saying that Brad is going to kill me when he sees this first picture:) He wasn't ready for the shoot and was clearing his teeth after eating and Sawyer just has a look like "really Mom...you're taking a picture of me why?" Hahaha, This was the first time he tried to escape out of his Jammies though and it was so funny. We didn't hear anything until the screech. I flew into the room thinking he was stuck or had finally decided to climb out of his crib. But nope! He was mad because he couldn't get his hand back into his Jammies!

I can't believe how fast they grow. Sometimes I look at him and think " He's SO huge now" and then I put him down and see him next to Jarrin and Keeley and think " He's so cute and little still". It's amazing the growth that happens in just the first 3 years of their life! I am glad I get to spend all day with my kids to watch them grow! I'd sure miss a lot if I weren't around, that's for sure :)

So Home Schooling is going GREAT! We have had all the supplies and we have been up and running! We use the K-12 program because it is structured well and they do 80% with the books and the resources they send and the other 20% online. It is great!When they get older they will do more and more online. I really wanted what was going to be best for our family and this one worked out well. It was great that we happened to already have 2 desks for them before we ever planned on Home Schooling. So we use half of the playroom for School.
They sent us a Computer, monitor and a printer along with some other things to use with it(microphone, headset, and a few other things).
We have all the books on a shelf and the extras in a storage bin. These are the things we don't use as often. The other things like the counters and so on are in a container that they keep next to the desk.
They have these super awesome phonics sets that are amazing at helping you teach phonics and spelling. LOVE IT!! They have a basic kit and an advanced kit. Jarrin and Keeley are having fun, even though they whine and fuss during school some days, they always tell us how happy they are to have school at home.
It's kind of stressful some days and it is hard work right now being that they are in Elementary and they are learning so much of the fundamental things needed for later, but I am really looking forward to when they are able to be more independent. They say that when they can read well, they will be able to get started and do most of the work by themselves with you just supervising them unless it is something they struggle with or need you to help them so they learn well. It is usually around 4-5th grade and then by Middle School they are almost completely independent and then by High School they should be totally independent! So I look forward to it :)
So that is my crazy life now! I love being able to be with my kids though.....but I definitely require a bit more "escape" time. Thank goodness Brad is such a great Hubby! He understands and helps out the best he can!

This kid is the king of concrete scrapes! Poor boy! This is the picture of his latest boom when he tried to walk off the front porch! He has no fear!It's so hard to catch them too because at first you don't think he is actually going to go for it but then when he does, it's so fast, but you feel so extremely slow that you end up just watching it. Boys will be Boys I am finding out! Love my boy! Don't know whether to call him "scrapes" "dozer" or "crash". Maybe all of the above!

So it all began with "trying" to get a group shot....hahaha! Jarrin tried really hard to keep him there!
I went to go get him a piece of a Kit Kat bar to help hold him there. It didn't work, but he sure loved that candy bar! Sawyer was a shark. It was so cute and he didn't even mind it too much :)
This was on to the second part of the candy to try to at least get an individual shot of him!
This was the best that I got of him. Oh well :) Cute anyways!
Jarrin wanted to be Spiderman and Keeley wanted to be a fairy. She wanted to pick everything out herself which was just fine with me :) She did want me to make her hair curly though :) They looked so cute!
We had trick or treat in the rooms all around the church which was a much nicer and warmer option than outside. Each family decorated their doors and rooms. It was great! Sawyer had a screech at ever door almost because he wanted to just eat the candy they gave him and then go to the next one and basically eat his way around the church! hahaha


Naomi and Dan come for a bit too! So we got to see our Angel EmmaLynn!! She was so adorable too! I loved all the cute costumes that were there!

Sawyer hit the end of his sugar rush !
We did go trick-or-treating around our usual neighborhood though afterwards. A request by the older kids. I like it because it is a small loop and then we are done. 15 min. tops! Perfect and not too much candy! Perfect!What a great Halloween!!

So I know it's been a while since I posted! It has been a crazy 2 weeks. My Dad has a terrible infection (or 5) on his foot and ended up in the Hospital(seems to be okay now) . My lovely Hubby sprained his ankle really bad trying to get into a tree stand! Yeah, he didn't even get into it before he fell, thankfully it was only a sprain! We hear about people breaking necks and backs and many more "fun" ways of hurting themselves! So that took him off his feet for the week THEN we decided it would be fun and wonderful to home school!We always wanted to but then I got pregnant with Sawyer and thought "there is no way!" Now since Sawyer is older he actually does quite well for me to Home School. The transition has been great AND an amazing thing has happened.....Jarrin and Keeley are getting along SO MUCH BETTER!! I don't know why, but they are and I love it! They are loving Home School and have already learned a lot. I love the curriculum of the K 12 program and the social network that it has.So now I get to learn how to organize my life around all of this! I love it and I love spending the time with my kids. I don't regret the decision at all! It's just that much more time with my kids that I would never get back if they were in school. So that is our updated life!!

Okay so I am in the market for a new jogger stroller because I FINALLY sold my double one that I don't need! I am looking at the InStep Suburban Swivel or the Baby Trend Expedition LX, Skylar one. I don't know, Target also has one also . Anyone have any ideas.

So I have had this for awhile and they are AWESOME!! I though all the Mom's with new additions would like this :)
Get a 3 Qrt. Rubbermaid tub or any tub that will hold them :)
*BIG BOUNTY roll*(More softness then the others) with the smaller sections * make sure*
2C. H2O
3Tbs. baby oil (or almond, jojoba, etc. more natural and moisturizing)
1Tbs. favorite baby shampoo
1-2 drops each of lavender, Chamomile, Rose Geranium essential oils
(or of course you favorite personal combo, keeping in mind it needs to be extra gentle)

Cut the Bounty roll in half (big knife) :)
Set it in the container of choice and mix the remaining wet ingredients together in a bowl until well mixed and pour over the top of the towels slowly and seal up for your use! It saves money and you don't have to put any extra chemicals in there if you don't want ( using organic products)

Enjoy :) Got to go make my own now! :) I just found it! It worked very well for my other 2 :)

So I am not sure what happened Saturday night. I took off with Brad's truck to a retreat weekend with my Girlies and left my SUV home for Brad to take. He was sitting on the computer and part of the curtains were cracked enough to see inside or outside. Below the window is a cover for our sprinkler system. the box top was off and set so it was off centered on the box, basically it wasn't closed all the way. Brad heard that box crack and shuffle around and he tried not to jump up right away so he slowly got up and ran to grab his gun and the dog and went outside after flipping on all of our security lights. He couldn't see anyone so he yelled a few things and as he started to turn around to go inside he heard a small truck start up across the street and zip off really fast! He was so wired up after that that he couldn't hardly sleep. He just kept thinking that what if I was the one home! So that's our fun freaky thing! We called and told most all of the neighborhood so they all can keep an eye open for any other weird things! Don't know if Brad will ever leave me for an overnight anything again!! He thought it might have been an animal, but the box is really close to the house and how weird of a coincident that the small truck took off and was parked in the entrance of the gated community across the street! So I guess we'll sleep with a gun in our hands! Okay so maybe not ;) but close! Even though we live farther out doesn't mean that things can't happen here! Kind of crazy!

So as I was leaving the bathroom I still had my towel wrapped around my head from my shower. Keeley asked how I did that and can I do that on her head. So I wrapped her up. She thought that was great! Then Jarrin came in to see what all the silliness was about. He wanted to join in too. So what the heck ...why not. So he got his head wrapped in a towel too.

So the funniest/grossest thing happened today. I was sitting on the couch reading my book and out of the corner of my eye I saw the dog go to get a drink out of her dish. Soon to follow was Sawyer. I thought maybe he was just going to play in the water (like he so often does), so I just kept reading. I was waiting for the splashing of the dog water, but much to my surprise....I heard a loud SLURP...SLURP and as he was going to do another slurp I was already off of the couch saying SAWYER...NO.... ICKY, but he went in again so I could enjoy the whole thing (hahaha) !! He was sitting down with his legs wrapped around the dog dish and his face in the bowl slurping out of the dog dish!! Drinking like the dog! It was even more disgusting to me when I saw the dog slobber left over from the dog drinking when I pulled him away!! He looked at me and laughed! I think he knew how I felt and it made him laugh! Oh the joys and funny memories we have of our kids!!!

SO my friend is closing her Scrapbook store and I just came home with around $400 dollars worth of scrappin' stuff but it was 75% off so it came to around $100 BUT the best part is that she wants to get her hair colored and her family's hair cut so I pay NOTHING!! WAHOOO!!!!I love good deals and I love that I have been blessed with this talent!!

So now that my 70 jars of applesauce are DONE!!! It's time to play catch up on the house work!! Yay for me....I have the vacuuming done but my kids have a great desire to be out of the house, and so do I, and so we're going to the park today....THEN I will finish some more cleaning!! It will probably be a good 3 or 4 days to get up to where I would like to be :) We'll see!! I can't believe it's still in the 80's this far into September!! I wonder what winter will be like! Indian Summers usually yield hard, cold winters, but then again the weather is so weird anymore it's hard to tell, BUT we will enjoy it as much as possible!!

Our friend Rachel helped us (Shauna and I) get around 1600 lbs of apples this last weekend. (Thanks Rach,....your awesome!) So...It is the start of my Applesauce week!! So that means a yummy, delicious smell of warm applesauce filling my house. With that comes warm and happy memories of my Mom when we'd come home from school with that yummy smell throughout the house. I don't know...kind of makes me sad, but still it will be nice. Most importantly for all those who wish to enter my home this week....BEWARE!!! It WILL look like a tornado went through!! Everything else goes to the wayside during applesauce week!! So there is your warning!!! :) Enjoy!!

Keeley and Sawyer and I went to his work and brought him a yummy lunch and decorated his door with homemade balloons :) He loved it!!

Jarrin so loving added this to Sawyer :) Happy Birthday Daddy :)

Keeley helped me write this for him on the apron.
Took him to Cafe' Chulos for dinner. It's a super yummy Mexican place
Blew all of his candles out (I only put 4 as I didn't want to set off the fire alarm ;) )
Yes...I did make his blackberry pie. It was Yummy!!
So Happy Birthday for my love :)

Well Jarrin and Keeley are LOVING school so far and I am again filling a box up a with at least 4+ paper a day from Kindergarten. I love hearing about their days and all the new friends they are making and about all the things they are learning! It has been good!
Tonight we get to celebrate Brad's 40th Birthday! He will be gone all day tomorrow for work and young mens so we are going to go enjoy a family time with him tonight!
I also am starting my Christmas sewing. I really want to try and be all ready and done this year before Christmas Eve.
I am also trying to get back on my workout routine! I am really trying so hard to get back to mini me that I was the summer before I got pregnant. We'll see how that goes.
Sawyer is trying to say everything we say now! I love this age when they start to copy!
So that's our life right now :)

Today was a great day!! I was so excited to send my kids off to school! Keeley and Jarrin were so excited too! We took many pictures and they got to choose a yummy breakfast and Jarrin also helped choose the poses for the pictures! He was so cute! The first ones are cute, Jarrin was so sweet and nice to Keeley today(hasn't been that way for a while) and I also tried to do some fun enhancements. Who knows....it was fun :)
This was a Jarrin request :) He wanted a picture of them running off to school. You can see his goofy run. He never ceases to make us all laugh!
My big and bigger kids all ready to go!

Jarrin really wanted a picture of the backpacks going to school :) Silly boy! Brad said he's going to be an abstract artist!
My Keeley. This is the skirt that I sewed for her. It's kind of big on her but HEY It's got to last ya know! ;)


My Jarrin :)

Her first locker. She was so excited! Jarrin explained exactly how it worked too :)

Jarrin's first day in 1st grade :)
The fun began right away!!
Both kids loved their first day! Keeley cried when I came to pick her because they were going to send her off with some other kids to "school plus" and after school daycare! I asked what they were doing and they told me that she was signed up. I couldn't figure out who signed her up!Wasn't Brad or I. I told them no, she's not going and the lady told me that she was signed up and almost wasn't going to let me take her! So after I got done explaining that I am a stay at home mom and that I would be picking her up everyday until the regular buses start up in 2 weeks. She let me take her. Keeley started bawling...I mean bawling! She was so darn sad and upset that she couldn't ride the bus! I felt bad and tried to explain it to her and once she understood, she was kind of ok. Other than that Jarrin LOVED that he had 3 recesses and he got to find his buddy Isaac, and he got to eat lunch at school! It was a great day !!! I already can't wait till both are in school all day together! Then I'll save some back and forth and back and forth time dropping off and picking up kids. It kills Sawyer's nap time and gas :) Oh well.... still will be a fun year! :) Now to get back into my beading and scrappin'!!!Oh and I really do want to try to get some Christmas sewing down early thing year! We'll see :) (oh...and working out too...I really need that one :) )