Mr Jay is 3!

Jaymeson woke up this morning, RAN into my room and said, "Mom, I had REALLY good seep!"  After reminding him that it's his birthday, he has been running around talking about how big he is ever since.  Apparently 3 years, is the big step into manhood.  He is so excited - he even told me he was done with pull-ups because he's a big boy.  Hopefully he sticks to it!

I realize that I just recently did a post on my Mr. Jay, so I won't go over it all again.  I did, however, want to say just a couple other things.

Jaymeson is a gentleman-in-the-making.  He knows that it is his job to help the girls by carrying things and opening doors for them.  He does this, not because he wants to show respect for girls (which ideally would be why, but let's face it - he's 3).  Instead, he shows me his muscles and says, I'm a big, strong boy.  It's totally because he's strong and he can show it!

He is, however, incredibly darling.  My MIL read my last post and told me afterwards that she has never entered a house where he has been playing when he hasn't immediately dropped everything and run over to give her a big hug to welcome her.  Since she pointed that out, I've noticed that he does that to every person he knows.  He always wants people to know he loves them!

When I asked Jay what he wanted to do for his birthday (giving the options of the zoo or Heritage Park or going swimming etc.), he answered quickly, "Go for a ride in a car!! - a PINK car!"  Yes, my little boy is not only easily satisfied, but he's totally secure in his masculinity!  He still wants a Lightning McQueen cake though (his first answer was a pink cake, but he changed it quickly).

Anyway, I just love my Jaymeson.  He brings a special feeling in the house and he just makes everyone smile.  I asked my girls what they love about Jaymeson and these were their answers:

"He is SO cute and he always pretends to scare us.  He just acts like he's all grown up, pretends he's a monster and he's just so cute that I hope he never grows up - even though he already is." --Kaia

"He shares his car cars.  He asks us questions like, 'Can you play Hide-and-Seek?'  I'm excited because it's his birthday and he's really fun on his birthday!"  --Kienna

"I love him because he always plays with me and I love his voice and I don't think I know anything else." --Saryn.

Think he looks like his Dad much??

Mommy's Salon

Well, after many, many days of putting it off - and few too many comments about how my boys are starting to look like girls, I took the plunge and I cut their hair.  It's Benson's first hair cut and Jaymeson's - well, I've lost count.  Why do boy's hair grow SO much faster?  Anyway, enjoy these before and after shots!

Before

After

Before - Side Shot

After - Side Shot

Before - Front

After - Front

I'm kinda proud of myself, you can even see Benson's ears now!  (Although I cut the back of Benson's too short.)  Overall, things turned out okay!

Spare Time

"What do you do in your spare time?" is a question that is really REALLY hard for me to answer these days.  I forget, quite frankly.  What is spare time again?!?

In all fairness, I'm sure I have just as much spare time as the next person... I just waste it by prolonging the things I should be doing.  Like this morning, I TOTALLY laid in bed for like 20 minutes - LUXURY!

I know that we really shouldn't waste time.  I feel like I'm forcing myself to be more scheduled because of the lack of scheduling that home school brings.  I have no one else to tell me when and where to be but myself, so I really have to be on top of things.  I REALLY don't like being busy and super scheduled, so I make my "to do" list and get going until it's done.  By the end of the day, I usually have a whole lot of things left to do... but as we all know, "Tomorrow is another day" (and tonight I'm exhausted).

My goal is to be as good as my Grandmother who literally has only gone to bed ONCE with a dish in her sink and that was because she had just held a Family Dinner for her son's wedding at her house.  That's it!
I have learned from her and my mother's example how to optimize the moment and how WONDERFUL it feels to go to bed knowing that your house is perfectly clean and you have only to do tomorrow what tomorrow brings... now THAT is bliss.

But I digress... what do I do in my spare time?  Well, I learned what stops me from answering that question.  I don't do things in my spare time.  I do things while I do other things.  I have been binding a quilt while I practice music with the kids.  On the way to the temple last weekend I (finally) sewed the letters onto my quiet book.  I blog (in between math questions from the kids).  I cook, clean and teach as much as I can.  I don't know if that counts as spare time or not??  I do the budget while my blog pictures upload.  I watch my favorite movies in pieces while I fold laundry.  I suppose the true answer to the questions would be one word:  SLEEP!  That's the only time that I have just to myself and I'm too wiped out to do much else.

I just found this quote which sums up what I am TRYING to be better at:

Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.
Charles Caleb Colton

I have loved being so busy with the things that I love.  I'm constantly doing things - but I enjoy (almost) every minute of it.  How lucky am I?  I'm surrounded by 5 of life's GREATEST blessings 24 hours a day and I get to choose what we do for every minute of it (although I admit... sleep is my kryptonite!  I could probably cut back on that and get to working out a bit more).

A couple more good thoughts on time:

Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.
William Faulkner

For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work.
Doug Larson

I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.
Golda Meir

Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin

After reading this over, I want to specify that using my time wisely has always been one of my greatest weaknesses... thus the reason I'm so proud of myself these past 2 months.  This is not meant to make me look good, it's just a step in the right direction - and it feels great! 

A Few Good Laughs... and pictures

 

Those are pictures from our first Phys Ed class (hiking in Kananaskis Country).  I'll add some more pics throughout the post...

In Social Studies, we're learning about Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and the like.  We were looking at a Map trying to find where Mespotamia is and Kienna says (in all seriousness), "Well, I know that it's close to Chicken".  "What?"  "Chicken, remember?  Right by the Euphrates River!"  "OOOHhhhh..... Turkey!"

At a Home Schoolers Picnic!!

 We were reading Ether 9 today.  We were reading about Omer and Jared and Akish and all the secret combinations, killing the kings to get power and how it caused a billion wars etc.  Then it continues to the point where it wipes EVERYONE out of the whole Jaredite civilization except for like 30 people.  Then the good king was made king again, he confirms the kingdom on his righteous son, Emer, - and then in vs 16 you read: "And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich—".  At this point, Kaia groaned, put her head down on the table and said, "Not again!!"  I laughed because most people are happy when other people prosper... but Kaia has noticed the pattern and KNEW that within a page, they would become prideful and then they'd be stupid again.  It made me laugh so hard!

Cute Brothers Picture

With our Friends, the Cranmers

Jay likes to sneak down to see what we're doing... this time he was a little tired and fell asleep on the steps.

Cute Benson shot taken by my niece.

After School for today was done, it was clean up time and Saryn was putting her book away.  She paused and asked me, "Mom, How do Indians hold books?"  I didn't really know how to answer that one.  I'm fairly certain they carry them with their hands like the rest of the world... but if someone else knows a different answer, please let me know!

Some random shots from around the house:

Benson has taken up the piano.  He's really very good.  Imagine what will happen when he can see the keys!

After finishing the book, "Secret Garden", we had a movie night to see it in motion!

Oh yeah, and Jarett had a birthday!  Happy 34th you old man!!

Oh Jaymeson...

Climbing a tree at the Grand Canyon

I've always heard that a mothers kiss could make anything feel better, but until Jaymeson came along, I had no idea that it could completely heal any hurt.  Jaymeson could be screaming in hysterics, but as soon as I give him a kiss, he can walk away skipping.

Jaymeson has long called his sisters his "guys"... but since he's been figuring out that I refer to the three oldest kids as "the girls", he's joined in.  He always helps me call them to dinner by saying, "Hey Goo-wals, comen EAT!!"

Every morning when Jaymeson walks in my room he announces, "Hi Mom... I had nice seep!"  Then asks, "Can I have Deckfas?"  Of course, this is only if he hasn't already snuck into my room and fallen asleep in between Jarett and I without our noticing.

No Peeking

Jaymeson also can completely navigate a iTouch like nobodies business.  He is able to flip through the pages, select the appropriate app and then select the right language/buttons and levels to get to the game that he wants to play.  He also really seems to LOVE doing these puzzles that I have on there.  He would sit quietly for hours if he had that to play on - I have no doubt about it.

Jaymeson has so much energy!  He loves to ride, wrestle and tease Benson, but Benson seems to love it and can't stop laughing when Jay plays with him.

Jaymeson LOVES to play with cars.  He loves to drive in them, he loves to make them jump off of tables.  He loves to color them, he loves to talk about them, he love to see them, he loves to make sounds like them... you name it.

Jaymeson really gets sad if Benson is sad.  He'll run and get me if I haven't heard him yet and drag me there.  He needs the crying to stop!
Jaymeson is super smart too!  He's picking up his letters now and he's just learned all his colors and his shapes.  He always wants to learn more!

Jaymeson LOVES music and he LOVES LOVES LOVES to dance!  He turns on the piano and can navigate the menus to play his favorite demo song, "Candyland".  He also loves to pick up the guitar, violin or cello or sit down at the piano and play whatever comes through his fingers.  I think he'll be a great musician one day!

Jaymeson is my little man and he makes me so happy!  He's actually about 90% successful with his potty training now too!!













Did I mention that he's just as cute as can be too??

Riding on his brother!

Big Brave Boy jumping in Arizona!

Watching a frog in Arizona

Stealing a kiss

Watch out - he WILL get you!

Pulling handcarts at the Children's Museum

Building a "city wall" to keep out the Lamanites.

Well, well, well...

So, as you may/may not have heard.  I have started homeschooling.  I LOVE it!  I've even got past the apologetic way that I used to say it.  It's just FABULOUS!  I don't know why I haven't done it before now - what was I scared of?  It's liberating to be able to set my own schedule, take time with my kids and have my OWN priorities of what my kids should be learning.  I follow most of the school curriculum in Alberta, but we're studying the history of the world for Social Studies and picking our own science experiments and research to do.  I can't believe how many wonderful resources there are out there for home schooling moms and there's so much funding available too!

Now, truth be told, there are frustrating moments, but overall, things keep getting better and better and both the kids and I are happier and less stressed out with the schedule that we've made for ourselves.  I LOVE not having a schedule in the morning to RACE off to the bus stop.  I LOVE not having to pack lunches while pushing my kids like crazy to get going.  I truly hated that I only saw them for about an hour at night over the dinner table.  The rest of the time was too full of practicing instruments, doing homework and racing off to lessons... then rushing them to bed so they can wake up ridiculously early to start it all over again.

I have been CRAZY busy, but it's the kind of busy that I LOVE.  To be busy, surrounded by those you love is the best satisfaction that you can possibly have.  PLUS, I get to be a better, happier Mom - and I get to learn right along with them.  It's just a win/win.  Anyway, better get back to it!  I hope to one day have time to fill in all the fun times we had this summer on the blog... but maybe that'll have to wait.  I have some Triceratops to read about!!