On my wall

I have a hard time decorating.... I try, but I get so nervous that it won't look good that I just avoid it.

I have a good friend that has a great blog about decorating Inside-Out Designs. She is truly amazing and has a lot of great ideas. Now I'll be honest.... Her style is not my style and I really couldn't see myself hanging the same art that she has on my walls, but the great thing with Brook is that she explains why she changed things, or bought things, and she has a lot of tutorials so you can use what you like.

I read this post of hers about framing fabric. I thought is was a good idea I just didn't know if I liked any fabric enough to frame it.

Then I remembered that I had something special that has just been moved with us and spent many years in my sock drawer.

That's the beauty of art work.....

It is a scarf that my Great Grandma Ester would wear. She would get her hair done every week and then put a scarf on her head so her new do wouldn't get blown in the wind.

Then as my Grandma Joyce was battling cancer and lost her hair, she wore the scarf. The women who wore this scarf are very special to me. And I am so happy to have a piece of them with me. I love that this is no longer tucked away, but out for people to see, and when the boys ask about it there is a great story to go with it.

{I know it's a little crooked.... I had a great helper who was so excited to help. I'll straighten it out another day}

I love the pictures of raspberries. Every time I eat raspberries it takes me back to Michigan where those women lived next door to each other. I remember sneaking into other people's yards in the neighbor hood to eat the sweet raspberries. And the colors are so bright still. And the detail is wonderful!!

I made sure that this is out of the sun. I will be getting a new frame with glass that is a little tinted so the color won't fade from the sun.

I love that it is by the aprons. My grandma would make cute aprons for all the girls that worked at the Snack Shack, the restaurant that she and my Papa owned and ran.

It's up really high so I'm going to move things around to make it fit better, but I just needed to get it up on the wall.

I have some other ideas about what I want to put on my walls. But I'm glad I made the start with this.

School's in Session

So this year I sent my babies to school. It was harder than I thought it was going to be. I made it a whole tow and a half hours before I started bawling. It is hard to give up the freedom and control. I know this is where we need.

First I want to tell you about the school that they got into and how it happened. I was looking for a charter school to put the boys into. I looked at a ton, but all of the lotteries were over and I was pretty sure I was going to have to wait until next year to get them into a charter school. Well, I was looking on the internet and happen t stumble across a school that was holding one last lottery to fill it's seats. So I called them. It happened to be the same day that we were moving into our new rented house and I was hauling a trailer down to Orem where we were going to live. So I pulled into the school, trailer and all.... and registered them pretty much thinking that the boys would be on the wait list. I drove away and realized that our house was about a 1/4 of a mile away from the school.  {the public school that they going to go to they were going to have to be bussed.} So on with our day we went.... in fact I really didn't think much about it. Then I checked my email a couple days later and found that James got in!! I was so excited. The school they are going to teaches with a much more classical view. The books that they are to read are really good books, they way the teach each child is great. I know that they are teaching a class but they still try to teach it in many ways sot hat each child is taught a way that he can learn.

I thought great!! James is in. I checked and Tommy and Tim were still on the wait list. I was told that Tommy has a good chance of getting in, but Tim was quite  aways down. So I went ahead and registered the two of them at the public school that we are in the boundaries for.

About a week later I go another email saying that Tommy had a seat in a class! I was excited and got everything together fr him. Tommy was really excited to be going with James.

So now I was dealing with two different schools and two different schedules, but at least next year Tim will be with them too.

So Tim and I attended his Back to School Night, and met his teacher and saw his class. He was excited to go to school... really nervous, but excited.

That night at 9:00pm I was reading and I got a call from the school. A spot had opened up for Tim!!

WHAT!!!!

I was floored!!! This is a Charter school... and one that is pretty highly ranked {as far as elementary goes} My mother in law know a lady that lives near her that has been trying to get her kids into this school for 3 years, and I ended up getting all three boys in this year! I know we are being watched over and I know that the Lord knows me and the desires of my heart. This is a huge blessing!

 Ok... so they really are happy it was just really bright that day and the sun was in their eyes.

James and Tommy started on Monday and Tim started on Wednesday, so here are the two boys together.

And all of the boys.... I really am not ready for this. I'm glad that I have the two little ones at home to keep me company.

Tim's first day. It took a little convincing to get him out of the door, but we made it.

And really.... I don't know what is up with Tim, he really was happy.

My three little scholars are ready for school! {mom however is still working on it....}

Summer sprinklers

On one of the last day of summer before school started, I found myself pondering this summer. It really wasn't that great. No trips were taken and because of our situation we didn't have the money to go places and do things. I am thankful for my wonderful children that would rather have experiences than things. So I told them to put on their bathing suits... they asked if we were going to the beach.... I asked them were the nearest beach was. Tommy knew that it was in California... but he only thought that because it was two states away it would only take up 2 hours to get there.

Instead I handed out Popsicle and turned on the sprinkler.

Looking at this picture with the backs of their heads all I can think of saying is "one of these things is not like the other" We still don't know where Benji got all that curl.

 I love this picture of the 5 of them.

It was kinda a sad day when I realized that they had never had the joy of running through the sprinklers... how have we missed doing this??? I guess when you live near the ocean... that's what you do and the poor sprinklers don't stand a chance.

I love this one of James as he flies over!

For Tommy it took a lot of coaxing to get him even to kinda get wet. He is not a water person so the fact that he is even near the water is a big thing.

Tim had a blast jumping in and out of the water.

They were going to try to do a running high-five... they couldn't get the timing right so they were jumping at the same time.... and when you jump over with your eyes shut... you crash.

Benji has found the joy of the camera... this really isn't anything new. 

When Benji was about 6 months old I was busy in the kitchen and couldn't get to him. So Tim was trying to entertain him. Nothing was working and Tim got board. He wanted to take some pictures, so he used my camera and started snapping away.

He started taking pictures of Benji, and Benji stopped crying.... soon he started giggling.

He loves to have his picture taken and now is making an effort to get into all of the pictures... so watch out when you have your camera out.... you may be photobombed by Benji.

James and Tim are less than 3 years apart. I never realized how much bigger James is than Tim..... and how much older he looks when he's next to his little brother.

 Poor Tim.... I don't ever think he'll grow out of his beach bum

This is what Tommy found that he liked to do.... what fold the hose and wait for someone to stand by the water.... or check on it and let the water flow... he likes water when he is not getting wet.

 And last.... look at Benji. He finally went over the top of it. I love his face in this picture!

I want to remember the simple joys of summer. Vacations are fun, and they create some really good memories. But you can have good memories and fun times just by being silly. Have a popsicle and  turn on the hose and see who can jump the highest over the water.

Benji turned 3... WHAT??

Where did the dang time go??? How did this happen?? My little baby is running crazy and creating havoc!

This boy has rocked my world. I really took for granted how easy the others were. I have learned patients with this one. I have really mellowed out and have more just 'go with the flow' mentality. And... pretty much the flow is where Benji is.

When you asked what he wanted for his birthday all he would say is "blue bike mom.... I want a blue bike"

So a blue bike it was.

He wanted t ride with his brothers. He gt on and tried a bit... then took the bike outside and pushed it around.

We are getting there though he'll ride soon I'm sure..... or just enjoy ringing the bell as he pushes the bike down the road.

 I made him lemon cupcakes. I have jumbo cupcake pans and so Benji got the big one.  {I love cupcakes for birthdays.... there's no reason for a fork and I hand one to each kid and push them outside.... show them where the door is.

We all sang to Benji... and he sang to himself he ends every Happy Birthday song with a "Cha Cha Cah {blow}" and before each time he tried he would sing just the Cha Cha part and then try blowing again.

I have been blessed with a strong willed, determined little boy. You wait... and watch... he will move mountains. He has the desire and the drive. I love that about him. He knows what he wants and doesn't let anyone or anything stand in his way. {much to the dismay of his brothers} He figures things out.... it makes it hard to put childs locks on anything... or just locks on general. He LOVES to sing and has been since he was a year old. You can see the joy in his face when he is singing, whether it's a Primary song, a song off the radio, or from dinosaur train. He's got curls.... oh I love the curls! Sometimes they are all tangled, sometimes they are flat, an other times they are wound tightly and I love when he lays his head on my lap and lets me play with his curly hair.

Great things will come from this boy. I work hard to keep him pointed in the right direction. I pray daily for guidance in that.

Benji, you are a wonderful addition to our family. You fit in so well. You have a way of bringing every one closer. You are the only one that can get away with calling Tim... Timmy. I love that you have nicknames for everyone in the family. Here's to another great year more chaos and crazy!!

The Unfamilar Familiar

Being back in Utah has been interesting.

I love being close to family and some close friends and things that I grew up around. I love that I know my way around and that I remember so much of it.

I love the familiar smell that seems to roll down the mountain, and the way the morning sun peeks over the mountain tops before the day has started.

I really do love the crazy weather. I love seeing the bright blue sky in the morning and being taken off guard in the afternoon when it starts snowing.... even in May. It's a surprise but one that is usually expected at least once a year.

The familiarity of the news anchors, even after 6 years they are still the same. It's like coming home to family.

And the buildings and business that after a decade still stand in the same spot serving a new generation.

It's funny to see some of the same billboards that grace the freeway. The ones that I remember when I was a kid. There is one with a boat going through it. It was always a reminder that we were almost close to grandma's house.

All the roads are familiar, and driving is easy. The learning curve is small... it's easy to get to places because the way the roads are marked.

But it's also so different.

The skyline has change as new buildings have been put up,and the orange cones that graced the freeway have moved south with the construction that is to be done there.

It's weird seeing the houses going up the mountains, I didn't think I would ever see houses on some of these mountains. And boy are those houses BIG!! And seeing new neighborhoods where the orchards once stood kinda makes me sad.

The trees have grown along with the families and kids of the street where we use to play. Bushes have been pulled up and houses have been painted.

Driving around and while the roads are familiar the stores that have been built are all different. The dairy farm that was along a main road has long been torn down and in it's place a small strip mall.

The people are different too. Different in the fact that they too have grown... had kids...moved on.

Many of the sighs are still the same and bring a sense of comfort, it's like coming home. And then there are the changes that are inevitable with growth of a city.

......With life too, I guess.

I like being back home in Utah. I like the sense of being wrapped in the arms of the mountains. I like that I grew up beneath them I really didn't realize how much I missed them until I was gone. I am happy to be back in my familiar, even with all the changes that have happened and the way it has grown. It will become my new familiar and someday I'll once again look back and remember how things were.