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!!

The Law! (written in 2011)

Well, Jarett has been a "real deal" lawyer for just over a month now and already I have had two "you-know-you-are-married-to-a-lawyer" moments.  Thought I'd share:

The first was when Kaia was going to the zoo for a field trip.  We could pay the $8 for the bus and admission OR we could show a copy of her zoo pass (which we had).  So, I asked Jarett if he'd photocopy Kaia's zoo pass so that I could hand it in to her teacher.  He runs into the office and it had been photocopied.... along with being notarized with a sworn statement that "This is a true likeness of the Zoo Pass of Kaia Cahoon's" complete with Jarett's seal and signature.  Excited about being a notary much?

The other one was when we got a new car (transmission in the Sienna was shot).  I needed to switch the plates and register them in his name.  I called ahead to ask what I needed and found out that I just needed Jarett's signature saying that I was allowed to register this car in his name with the VIN on it.  Instead I got a whole letter, complete with the seal from a notary saying swearing this affadavit to be made in a sound mind etc.

Good grief!

July - in a nut shell...

We were nuts about July because:

We're nuts about Canada Day!

 

 We're nuts about firetrucks...

 especially Jaymeson!

We're nuts about fishing...

We're nuts about blowing bubbles...

We're nuts about "Sacy" (Macy) as Jaymeson calls her.

We're nuts about Kienna (and Birthdays too)

 Kienna's also kinda nuts with how many teeth she's lost (I think we're up to about 10 now)

We're nuts about our new nephew/cousin Thaddeus (congrats Sachie and Josh)

Some of us are just nuts...

We're nutty picture takers... and I'm nuts about these kids.

 We have a nutty amount of Grandkids (on the Cahoon side) that we spent a whole week with.

We're so nutty that we get quite wiped out...

 Jaymeson is nuts about fishing - in the garage.  He even made his own recliner to fully enjoy it.

 

We're nuts about Lake Louise and our family we got to share it with...

Overall we're running around like we're all nuts... but we're sure enjoying the time.  So far August is getting even more nutty.  I've even made the decision to Home School.  We're excited to see what August will bring and really live it up!!

A Quick Thought

I know that most people think that I'm not capable of a "quick" thought - but here's my best attempt... I'm not saying that I'm going to succeed.

I went to an extended "Cahoon Family Reunion" this weekend.  My Father-in-law's Mother and all her descendents that could make it were there.  She had ELEVEN children - can you imagine?  She also had many of the cousins over quite a bit.  Now, all of her children have turned out to be quite successful, good people.   So, I took the opportunity this weekend to ask her "What advice would you give young mothers?"  Her answer was two words, "Don't Yell".  I asked if her and her husband ever yelled and she almost gasped at the question.  "Absolutely not.  We never talked like that."

At Lake Louise with Mullens

Now, I'm not saying that I'm a yelling kind of girl that just screams at anyone in her path, but I have taken this advice to heart.  I really think that, at times, I can be quite guilty of having a sharp tone, and become impatient much too quickly for these sweet little kids.  I love them to pieces.... why should they be the recipients of my weaker moments?  Shouldn't I be the BEST woman I can be to those I have been given to take care of?  I mean, after all:

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."
-Margaret D. Nadauld



So this is now my goal.  I really want to be that rare kind of woman.  I'm sure that I will have a sharp tongue from time to time, but I hope that I can hold it faster.  I love this quote from President Hinckley too:

 "There is a sad tendency in our world today for persons to cut one another down. Did you ever realize that it does not take very much in the way of brainpower to make remarks that may wound another? Try the opposite of that. Try handing out compliments."
Gordon B Hinckley

At Ashley Lake with the Cahoons

 I hope that each day we can all try to be as kind as possible to those we love.  Say kind words instead of hurtful sarcastic remarks.  I want to take that step and become that little bit better.  Care to join in on the challenge?

What's in a name?

Jaymeson is in a big phase right now where he's not cute, handsome, or anything else.  He's Jaymeson.  My favorite moment with this has to be.

"No Mom... I'm JAYMESON!  Can you say it?  Jay-me-son!"

Another quick Jay story is from today.  My mom took Kienna and Saryn to Calaway Park (Kaia is at Basketball Camp for the week).  When they left, Jaymeson got really sad and started to cry.  Our conversation went something like this...

"Mommy, I want Gan" (Gran)
"I know hon, Gran will come back"
"I want go in baby car"  (Gran's car... it's a sedan, but compared to our SUV and Van - it's tiny, therefore it's a baby car)
"Well, maybe when Gran comes back..."
This stops the crying for a few minutes... and then:
"I want my guys" (this is what he always says for his siblings)
"I know... they'll be back, Bud.
"Mommy.... Gan took my Nenna" (Kienna)
"I know, but she'll bring her back"
"Gan took my Sayen" (Saryn)
"I know... (pause)  Jay, do you want to watch Thomas the Train?"
"YEAH!!"  and the crying stopped immediately.

Money Can't Buy Everything...

Well, I am sitting here today pondering the big deal that is money.  Supposedly Money can't buy everything.... BUT there sure is a whole lot that it CAN buy and it seems as though there is some truth in "Money makes the world go round".  At least, it sure keeps people running around in the world.  I've been reviewing budgets, trying to sell a house, trying to find a better house in a better place for a better price (harder than it sounds), trying to start teaching piano in the fall and looking forward to Jarett being admitted to the bar in one weeks time.  All these time consuming, thought comsuming things revolve around Money.

So what is it that makes us SO focused on Money?  Well, it feeds us, clothes us and shelters us... and those are basic needs.  It can make us feel happy when we use it to help others.  It can pamper us, protect us and fill our lives with many wonderful things.  I think that the big thing is that without money, we can't do many of those things.  On the other hand, money can bring us too much, our lives get cluttered with nice things, but TOO many.  How often do we find ourselves short of money, but surrounded by too many things.  (This would be why garage sales become quite popular).  I'm SO sick of having so many things around me.  I feel like taking at least half of my things and just giving them away.  Have a "Take whatever you want" garage sale and call it a day.  Why do we keep buying things that we end up not really wanting less than a week later??

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go into a place where money wasn't a factor?  We could trade our goods and services for other goods and services and not have to worry about money.  How neat would it be if making a skirt would pay for lessons?  or babysitting would get you some eggs?  I wish we lived back in the day where you just went out and claimed your land and built your own house.  There were no set floor plans you HAD to chose from.  There wasn't plots of land around the houses that were so small that you couldn't even grow a garden.   I wish my kids could have a good education at home that consisted of learning how to be good Mom's one day instead of whatever new liberal agenda is out there... and I didn't have to pay almost $2000 a year to have them learn a regulated curriculum for the "average student", be on a bus for an hour and a half and be able to eat lunch (that was sent from home) at the school.  Shouldn't a teacher LOVE their job?  And shouldn't she actually get paid more than the administration who sits at their desks and decide what school deserves more funds than others?

People get so corrupted by money as well.  I have seen good people go crazy over the lack payment.  People fight with each other over a mere dollar (I'm not just talking about bartering... I mean when people feel ripped off by service and are SCREAMING at eachother...).

I'm just sick of it all today.  It truly drives me crazy to have to count pennies daily.  I really wish that people could be trustworthy enough that you could just expect good service and honest payment for a good exchange.

I should point out that I TOTALLY understand that people, in general, will try to get the best deal for themselves to the point that they totally take advantage of other people.  I realize that this is WHY we need a constant to even things out.  I REALIZE that this is why money is what it is...  I just wish we were all above that.  Sigh, one day...

PS - I should also say that no one has ripped me off recently or anything.  It's just a mere reflection on the world and my budget. ;)

The wee hours of the morning...

It was about 5:35, and Jaymeson had been torturing Jarett and I for about half an hour crawling in and out of our bed.  I finally said, "Jaymeson, you have to go to sleep.  Do you want to stay here or go to your bed?"  He, of course, chose to stay.  As we're working on letting Benson sleep as much as possible, Jaymeson has been finding himself in our bed more and more.  I realize it needs to stop soon, but it is what it is for now.  After another 10 minutes of jumping on us etc, I said, "Jaymeson you HAVE to lie down and be still no matter where you are, so where do you want to go?"  He stopped and thought while tapping his finger on his chin and said, "Costco!"

My First Haircut

I do understand that in reality, this wasn't my first haircut.  It wasn't even Jaymesons first haircut... but it was the first haircut I did for Jaymeson (actually it was the second, but the first one was with scissors and wasn't nearly as nice).  After a couple months of having Jaymeson look like Harry Potter (complete with the stand-up hair and glasses - all we were missing was a lightning scar), I got the nerve up to cut it myself.  My hair cutting friend, Amber, recommended some good cutters for kids and hooked me up with some.  I got them and was in HEAVEN.  I NOW understand how all these moms cut their boys hair.  It's SO much easier.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I might even make it a bi-weekly deal.  Maybe I'll even take on Jarett.  I can conquer the world!!

The before picture!  Please note the pile of hair coming down over his ear.  This looks especially smashing with glasses.

After!  It was short and sweet and he was so good!

My Handsome little Devil!

 

My Excuses

"You've really neglected blogging.  So, what the heck is keeping you so busy, Ashley?" you might ask.  Well, I suppose I could tell you - since you might be a captive audience (which is hard to find around my house - trust me).  Conveniently, I just wrote my excuses to my sister, Kim (who is serving her mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City), so I'm going to use them for this too!

#1. I've been quilting (don't tell Alanna - she'd be impressed).  I'm finishing the double quilt that Alanna helped me start over a year ago.  So that's been time consuming AND has really kept me off of the computer (which is general IS a good thing... just not when it keeps me away from blogging and writing letters etc.)

#2. I've started to workout in a group.  Well, not just me (clearly - or it wouldn't be a group).  But there's about 5 other women in my ward who are feeling a little "larger than life" after having babies (I suppose I could say that they're feeling large because of life too).  We are working out 2 nights a week (it may be a kin to torture), and whipping ourselves back into shape.  We've also been doing "food journals".  I've cut out sugar except for Sundays (and to be completely truthful - whenever a good dessert is offered.... but that is REALLY rare).  I've really caught myself snacking a lot and I've been able to take that out.  I've been pushing fruits and veggies.  Having awesome smoothies and I'm not eating at night at all (except for date night).  All this considered, I've lost a whopping 1.6 pounds (no, the "." is not a type-o).  Don't get too worried.  I'll slow down soon enough - you don't have to worry about me wasting away to nothing.  Ugh.  It'll come.  I know it will.  It's a gospel principle.  Patience and moderation in all things.  Endure to the end, right?  (I am just hoping there's an end - or a result for that matter - before the judgement day, because I might lose my mind any second now).

#3.  Scratch that last fragment of a sentence.  I HAVE completely lost my mind.  I am getting very little sleep (Thank you, Benson) and I'm running after 4 other kids.  Kaia and Kienna are finishing up school for the year.  Kaia has just finished her violin lessons, I'm looking for Kienna's cello teacher and Saryn will be starting both Kindergarten and Violin in the fall.  Since I'll be so bored at home when my girls are at school, I've decided to take on the BRILLIANT plan of teaching piano and theory one night a week (Jarett convinced me to knock it down to just one night... I think I have a tendency to torture myself).

#4. I am actually watching Peso for a couple days while my Gran and Aunty Beryl have taken their half-sister, Bubbles who is visiting from South Africa and her friend up to Banff.

#5.  I am in the process (hopefully nearing the end) of potty training little Jaymeson.  He's doing great - all we need to work on now is changing what he is calls it.  For some reason he decided it's called "Mom and Dad".  I'm just not a huge fan of that (for some crazy reason).  I THINK that Jarett said, "Wow are you a big boy like Mom and Dad?" when he went potty once and so he decided that that was the correct name for it.  Hopefully this will be a fleeting memory very soon.

#6. I have also been busy celebrating.  Hayley's birthday was fun, but that REALLY big celebration happened last Friday.  Jarett and I went to the Keg on a date to celebrate his LAST (like VERY VERY last) grades coming back as a "Competency Demonstrated" (aka, he passed).  He's DONE!  DONE!!!!!!  No more hoops to jump through, no more student at law.  All that is left is the celebration and ceremony of being "Admitted to the Bar", which will happen on June 29th (the day before Dad's 25th anniversary of being admitted to the bar).

#7.  Jarett's sister, Erin, is getting re-married on June 30th.  So I've been having fun doing a few little wedding plans etc.  She's so excited, and I'm so happy for her.

#8. Marvel (my niece) just did her Grade 5 piano exam on Tuesday.  She is my first student to do so, and I spent MANY hours every week drilling everything with her.  We went over to my old piano teacher's house and had her play there, we've had multiple 2-3 hour sessions of mostly scales etc.  I'm really proud of her.  I think she did fabulous!  Can't wait to hear her grade!

#9.  I've been busy with rain, snow, sleet and hail.  Bad weather really keeps you busy when you have 5 kids.  Many much more things to think of to entertain.  Today is sunny and I'm LOVING it.  We took Peso on a walk around the pond behind the house and played on the playground etc.  The kids were dancing to 'candyland' (the demo on our piano) and we've just had a lot of fun!

#10.  I've also been busy with Mechanics.  Apparently the van's transmission is on the fritz.  We've taken it to a couple places to get more opinions, but pretty much, I'm driving a time bomb.  We just don't know when the transmission will blow.  In the meantime, we're going to try to sell it (someone else might want to put $4000 into it) and get an 8 seater, so we can all fit more easily (and maybe even be able to pick up a friend or something too).

Well, I figure I've now given you the top 10 reasons that I've been crazy busy and away from the computer (except for maybe the Peso thing, but I think I'll add that I've been busy being a Mom, trying to keep the house clean and SELL It and being a chauffer etc.)  I'm sure I could add many more things, but I'll stop there.


Anyway, needless to say, life has been busy.