School Begins

Before school started we picked up final prizes for Jet who was participating in "1000 Books Before Kindergarten." We'd finished 1000 books a while back (that kid likes books like the rest of the family). We just hadn't gotten around to recording them and picking up the last of the prizes. So we did.

He got a bag, certificate, sticker, and book from Orem Library and he picked a flashlight from the treasure box at Provo Library.

 

We went to Back to School Nights for Jr. Jr. and Lucky and Jet, and Kindergarten assessment for Jet.

I saw Jr. Jr.'s schedule and this is the conversation that came from it.

Mom: You're taking Earth and Space Science? How cool is that?

Jr. Jr.: It's out of this world.

-Later-

Jr. Jr.: Earth and Space Science. You can tell you're in the right classroom because it's always vacuumed.

He also had clever things to say after school started.

Jr. Jr.: When I get a homework assignment, I spend the first few days in de-Nile.

Mom: Is that a geography joke?

Jr. Jr.: Yes, because I'm doing geography right now.

Jr. Jr.: What river is labeled 8?

Mom: It's in South America.

Jr. Jr.: The river labeled 8 is where all your packages come from. 

 

What do you do when you have a child who loves school so much they are anxious for the first day of school to start?

Give them a task. Sharpen pencils. That will help when it's time for homework.

 

How does a child who does not like school combat the frustration of it? 

He takes juggling balls with him wherever he goes at school and at home. He impressed quite a few people who didn't know he could juggle, which he couldn't last school year. 

 

I got first day of school pictures for the kids (we had four different first days of school this year), except for Jr. I got first day at his apartment pictures. I had a little Nemo toy that I used to tell everyone, "First day of school. First day of school," that morning.

 

While the middle boys were at their first day of school (less kids in the house), I did something useful. I put together some freezer meals, using recipes that used ingredients we had at home so I didn't have to go shopping for anything. I put directions on the bags so I don't have to look up the recipes when it's time to make them. Go, me! Woohoo.

 

After one of the first days of school, we went to the annual Utah County Birders potluck. So nice to be around other birders. We've been so busy, we haven't been out birding much. Sigh. And the monthly meetings, I usually join online instead of in person. Also sigh.

I must say, though, my kids are awesome. They helped clean up after the potluck, even though they had school the next day. 

 

The first Saturday after school started, I did something for myself. I went to "my spot" by the lake to watch the "sunrise"- which actually means I watched the other direction from where the sun rose. I watched the light come across the lake from the mountains on the other side until it reached me then the sun was to my back when it came up over the mountains. That's how I usually like to watch the sunrise.

After Jr.'s first day of school, we picked him up and went to another BBQ/cookout. 

Jeremy: Do you want to go to this cookout? You don't have to figure out dinner.

I was in favor of that. Jeremy previously made a balloon arch for this cookout so we were able to get some pictures.

 

Another day, before Jet and Nichole started school, they went with me on a drive up Kyhv Peak Road. Nice drive and view.

 

I highly recommend this.

We keep a pocket sized copy of The Book of Mormon in our vehicle.

Now that school has started, that means more sitting around waiting to pick up kids. I get busy some mornings and don't get a chance to read my Book of Mormon. So even though I often have a physical novel in my bag, an audiobook on my phone, I realized I could get something even better out of my wait by reading what is always available to me.

Saying Goodbye to 2023 on 12/31/23

It's 123123. Or 12/31/23. Fun way to go out this year. Jeremy and I took a nap (excuse the hair) and woke up in order to snap a photo at 1:23pm. Thanks, Jeremy, for setting an alarm. Smart thinking.

I was also able to get a picture with Lucky during that same minute.

An hour later I was able to wish my brother Happy 1:23 on 12/31/23 since he lives in Oregon. Tee Hee. Fun stuff.

Other things we did on this last day of 2023. New Year's Nachos! And board games. And some video games.

We also discussed "Come, Follow Me" curriculum for 2024. "The Book of Mormon." I'm so happy about that. I've talked to several people at church who are also excited we'll be studying that this coming year... starting tomorrow!

I've been telling my children for a while and I know these things from personal experience and the Spirit, studying the Book of Mormon every day makes a difference in your life. It really does. Don't believe me? Try it. It won't solve all your problems but it will bring you closer to Jesus Christ. That makes things bearable. It's worth it.

Goodbye, 2023.

Family Home Evening

Since Thanksgiving is coming up, we had a Family Home Evening lesson about being thankful, just like the Jaradites in the book of Ether in The Book of Mormon were thankful when the Lord help them cross the ocean.

We read a story from the November 2009 issue of The Friend magazine. The story was called "The Thankful Jar" and we made our own thankful jar to add slips of paper to. Lucky really got into it and went through so many slips of paper. I'm glad he's so thankful.

For our activity, we played Jenga. We hadn't played that in a while and we did a pretty good job if I do say so myself. I think it was the tallest tower we've ever made as a family. 

For our treat, Lucky made us melted snowmen with ice cream, chocolate chip eyes and mouth, and pretzel stick arms and a broom. Yay, creativity.

What They Missed- August 8

Recently, Jeremy's brother got married so Jeremy drove to Washington for the wedding. He took the two oldest with him to help keep him awake while he drove and because we knew they could handle the social distancing on a long trip like that. I kept track of what they missed while they were gone so now they can read all about it (with pictures).

Saturday, August 8-

The day they left.
Jeremy gave the boys the responsibility of feeding the birds while he was gone. Jet and I supervised with only minimal help from time to time. They're good at it.

They finished off the bag of peanuts for the jays so they got to open up the new box.

The jays are used to Jr. Jr. and will come up close while he is near the feeding station.

Lucky made a list of things he wanted to do while the others were gone. One of them was to make paper shields then use them in a squirt gun fight outside. That actually went along with scripture study since we were starting to talk about wars in The Book of Mormon. And we used paper plates for the shields.

Even Jet got involved, though the others were under strict instructions not to squirt the baby and Mommy.

At the end, Jr. Jr. dumped a bucket of water on himself so Lucky carried everything else in.

Also that day the three boys had fun playing under a blanket. Jr. Jr. and Lucky are good at making Jet smile and laugh. He loves his brothers.

That evening we played Wii Bowling to celebrate National Bowling Day and even Jet got to play with a ball.

Lucky wanted me to keep track of many of the helpful and nice things he did so besides feeding the birds, don't be surprised to see a list of ways Lucky served from time to time on these posts (the ones I remembered to keep track of or that he reminded me to write down).

That first day he peeled an egg for Jr. Jr. and for Jet and gave Jet a ride on a blanket. Wheee.

Lucky got a hold of my phone as I was trying to keep track of things so this is what he added (mostly by clicking on the options that were presented above the phone keyboard):

 Remember, you can click on the pictures to see them larger.