Black and White Days, Richmond Utah, Horsepull

We went to the horse pull in Richmond this last weekend. It was good old country fun. The kids liked it for the first hour, then it got old. Grandma and Grandpa Day joined us for it though and spoiled them with caramel corn and air heads. Plus Dad got them a pop. They had a sugar overload. It was beautiful weather and the horses really were amazing to watch. There were many gorgeous teams!!! Adam gets really into this and marks down all the weights each team pulls. Dad and Adam were even betting one another who would win in each division. Too funny that a stranger leaned over and asked Adam to teach her about it, like he was a real cowboy or something. He was wearing his hat and boots and acted the part jotting notes so I don’t blame her. But inside, I laughed, my cute accountant husband who wants to be a cowboy was mistaken for an experienced horse puller.... ha ha! I think his dreams come true tonight. 

Logan District Swim Party

It’s such a nice thing the school district does for the staff. It actually was Adams idea. This is the second year and people love it! Our kids do and I don’t have to make dinner. Win win! Adam really does have a good job! I’m feeling blessed tonight! We had s great time and are worn out! 

Rachel's Graduation Picture

This is so precious! I could cry over her cuteness!

Hand foot and mouth... the worst!

We have hand foot and mouth again. Oh it is the pits! I don't know why my kids always catch this bug. It takes a while to run it's course and it is just brutal. Yuck! I feel so bad for them. I took pics but don't have them up. You can find them in our family albums if you care to see them. Poor kids! I might need lots of chocolate to get me through this one.

Rachel and Dayton Soccer Teams

The kids finished their spring season of soccer. Here are their team pictures. They both are aggressive and play hard! Next season Dayton got recruited to play for another team, Providence FC, after a coach meeting Adam said he feels these coaches will be great!!! About 5 other boys from his last team got recruited too. So it’ll be fun for them to play together. 

Memorial Day

Saturday Mom and Dad took Carter to graves with them. I remember doing this as a child. He got to see lots of cool things along the road trip. He talked about tunnels, oil refineries, trains, the fancy restaurant they went to (Sizzler, ha ha) and how he picked flowers with Grandpa. I am so glad he got to go for one on one time. He felt like king for a day! Thanks Mom and Dad.

Instead of our usual camping trip, since we sold our trailer and rain was in the forecast, we hung at home. We have a huge yard and lots to do. We enjoyed working together and catching up a bit. The kids filled buckets of pine cones they picked out of the lawn.  I love all of our flowers in bloom! They remind me of my Grandma Evelyn Day. 

We played catch a lot!!! Dayton is great at it!!! Rachel and Dayton played catch together. Notice his cute icecream face. 

We had pizza and pop on the porch! Then had the Sorensen’s over and the Frandsen’s (forgot a pic) for a marshmallow roast. Our kids loved the fire. It wasn’t the best we have done but hey we tried.

Kaia and baby Jocelyn

Of course I had to dress the girls matching  like an American flag, because why not? They are so cute!!!

I am forever grateful for all the men and women who went on before me who paved the way for my family to live how we live today. May the Lord bless us in our efforts to honor them. To all my posterity, the pioneers and mothers who bore my grandparents and parents, thank you. I know it wasn’t easy. Today I plan to show our children pictures of their posterity in hopes to instill a love for families and geneology in them. Happy Memorial Day! 

Carters Graduations!!!

Wednesday Carter was in his preschool program for ABC Preschool, Mom’s. He did awesome! He knew his whole part and said it on his own. “There are four seasons. My favorite is winter because I like sledding down the hill.” He sang super well and had lots come to cheer him on. He has one more year at ABC with Mom before Kindergarten. Adam took a ton of video! 

Thursday he had his graduation at Mountainside. He has been attending for speech and also for preschool twice a week in the afternoons. We did this so he could have more exposure with his speech teacher AND a class without Mom. Plus we really wanted him to be able to attend this upcoming school year as a tuition student two mornings a week while Mom teaches her preschool and starting him this year as a tuition student let us do that. It’s $50 a month for him to go twice a week. He loves it!!!!! The kids sang their favorite song, bubble gum. They read their class book where each kid made a page, they danced for us and walked across the little stage. Carter is advanced! His picture was incredible for his age. He sang and smiled and is just growing right up. We love you Carter!!!

Getting ready for...

SUMMER!

The count down is officially on! 9 more school days til summer! Yeah!!!! I can’t wait!!!

So I am getting ready! Starting with our family rewards system and moto. I love how it turned out!

I also visited the dollar store and bought about a dozen workbooks for all my kids. We will be doing learning time each day. I’m a big believer that it helps kids keep up and typically improve their skills over the summer when we do this five days a week. Actually, it’s fun too!

Last year we did 3 fifteen minute rotations. Reading, Lexia or other online educational games, and workbook with Mom. This year I am still thinking because I’d really LOVE to include Vivian! But how? I think I may just let her color by me at the table while I work with the other kids then build blocks or play trains when she feels bored of that. Obviously she isn’t capable of doing workbooks. I do want to make a specific effort to read to her each day. I will do that. Maybe before nap each day.

So here is the board! I love it! The kids can earn sticks for doing any of the listed behaviors. When they get 12 sticks they can earn a treasure from the treasure box or I plan to buy icecream cones and a big tub of icecream for cones at home. This way they can immediately get a reward and Mom doesn’t have to remember to get an icecream come next time we are in town. 

Also they will be doing a job every day. Their choice which job. Once they’ve done their job and learning time we have a long summer bucket list filled with mostly free or cheap things to accomplish. This is a HUGE motivator when it comes to them completing jobs and workbooks. All I have to say is, “If you choose not to finish your job or learning time you can’t join us for our family fun today.” One hundred percent of the time they decide on their own to just do it! Natural consequences speaking for themselves is power!!!

Mother’s Day

It was a nice day of mothering! The kids have me cute gifts and Adam got me hanging baskets for the front porch. I am blessed that these kids call me Mom. 

Rachel lost her first tooth

A day on the farm

To be honest we have felt less than grateful lately and I am ashamed. Today I saw this sight and was filled brimming to the top! This was a yummy mom moment! Our yard is gorgeous. Yes, there are many projects and I don’t think I will ever ever ever keep up on weeding and picking up sticks. Yet, it’s home and it’s ours. Ours to worry about, work on, raise kids and cows and chickens. It’s happy. I am going to choose happy. I am going to try harder to do better. Be grateful.

Toddler Music comes to an end...

And I discovered a good way to keep track of her... ha ha! 

Vivian has a big girl bed!!!

We moved Vivie to a big girl bed this week. After dealing with her climbing out of her crib for nearly a month now I decided it was time. It was almost like climbing out of her crib became a game at bedtime and naps which meant up late and well little sleep. So I bit the bullet and moved things around myself. To be honest I wish she would have stayed in til she was 2 at least. It’s been three nights now and it’s been rough. I hope it gets better. She has to learn sometime, right? In the meanwhile I may be eating too much chocolate and gaining too much weight. Mom life is real! It’s joyful but it’s tough too. No sleep with four busy kids and my own busy schedule is hard! Praying this phase passes quick so I can get back to happy mama. 

Mamas cooking

For fun I am just documenting some home cooking I’ve done this last week. We try very hard to have a sit down dinner every night together where I cook good healthy meals. It brings us together as a family. We share “our happy” with eachother and talk. I enjoy cooking and baking so it’s been fun taking a few pictures for our blog too. I know there is value in eating together and making time for it.