Summer Routine

Well the first two weeks of summer where off track because we had family either in town or staying with us, which was great, so last was the first week that I could actually start a routine.

I used the schedule sheets I had from last summer. It's funny how last summer I really just made Jasmine a chart so she wouldn't feel left out and this year she is all grown up and totally gets it.

It just helps for them to know exactly what they need to do when they get up instead of going strait to the tv or trampoline. They have been helping each other clean their bedrooms which has been good to see. This year we have been doing our "learning time" in the afternoon which I thought wouldn't work at all but it has been met with no complaints. I have tons of workbooks that I have accumulated over the years and I just pick a few sheets out of there for them to do.

*If anyone has any ideas for teaching the letters that have really worked, please pass them along. I did tons of stuff with Shayden and now I can't remember any of it. That's what I get for having my kids so far apart. Nowadays I would have totally made a file with ideas and filed it away but at the time apparently I didn't think of that. I do have the Letter Factory movie and that is a little miracle worker in and of itself.

I realized that after this week there are only 7 weeks left of summer! That makes me sad.

So I made a calendar and decided on a theme that we will learn about each week, and we will have an arts/craft day, a science day, a cooking day (just a little snack or something that they will help with) and Monday's will be field trip day.

I made a long list of all of the places I wanted to take my kids to this summer. Then my friend and I just brainstormed and made a calendar of activities to do on each Monday. That way it is scheduled and done! Everyone is invited, the more the merrier, so email me if you want to know what we are doing.

On Tuesdays my friend and I are going to trade babysitting time and it is going to be my project day. I would highly recommend doing this, the kids get to play and I get a few hours each week. I have so many projects before the baby comes. Nesting is underway!

I also have been using Handipoints, which was working great until my computer upstairs died. It was too much work to take my kids down into the dungeon (my office) each night to fill out their charts. But now we are going to start again, for rewarding good behavior, and such. If you haven't, you should check it out.

So that is our summer routine. Anyone else want to share theirs?

Backyard Adventures

I have seen so many of these "open bounce" type places all over, (where they have all the big inflatables indoors) so I wanted to try one. I signed up for a utah kids club trial membership and I decided to take advantage of their 2 for 1 price.
This one was nice because instead of just have the inflatables, they also had one of their huge backyard playgrounds inside. My kids loved it!

These pictures are hilarious, Jazzie couldn't stop dancin'...

Shay loved all the huge slides but Jasmine was not sure,

She did find this little one that suited her though:

Overall it was a fun time and I was able to get some work done while they played. Afterwards we went to Del Taco and had .49 cent tacos and then .99 milkshakes at Sonic, the peanut butter one is yum in case you haven't tried it!

p.s. hey if anyone has signed up for the utah kids club let me know what you think. It's a new thing (only a few months) but has like 5,000 members already. The link to it is here.

Five kids for Three Days

My sister and brother in law got the chance to go on Trek again. Why people would willingly submit themselves to this kind of torture is beyond me (much less twice). Just kidding, everyone that I know that has done it has said what a great thing it was. This time their two oldest daughters are old enough to go so that means we got to take care of the 3 youngest. We thought for sure that my youngest niece would have a hard time since she is still quite attached to her mom, but she did great! It has been a fun filled week. Here are some highlights.

We went to a Radio Disney party at the Gallivan Center on the first day. My little niece has a mad face but she was really happy. It was very, very, hot though.


And this was the outcome of the party (and a one hour wait in line):

That day we also had lunch and ran through the fountains at Liberty Park.

That night we went to see Horton Hears a Hoo which none of us had seen still.

Then on Friday we went to Jungle Jims.

Then the last day, Saturday I dragged all 5 kids to yard sales with me! My parents thought I was nuts. But they wanted to go, they could have stayed home with Jonas. Later we went to the Ogden Nature Center since we needed to drop off the kids north of SL anyway, and it was a free day. Of course it was deathly hot too. I was so worried that my nieces were going to get sun burned so bad because they are so fair skinned (well compared to mine), but luckily, they didn't.

It was a nice little walk, we should have worn better shoes though.

They had a pretty awesome tree house.

And tower thing,

And look how close this deer came to us!

See, she was happy.

I love the pretty mountains.

It was a fun few days, I am glad that my kids have such awesome cousins!

Help! Any advice needed

So I have always suffered from some back pain but this pregnancy, I can't sleep! Plus I keep waking up on my back which is not good. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on those popular pregnancy pillows, the S shaped one or the wedges? I don't want to spend $30-$60 and then still not be able to sleep. Anyone?

It's official...at least we hope!

We found out what the baby's gender is! To make it a little more special, we did the same thing as when Jasmine was born: we told the ultrasound techs that we didn't want to know yet and so they took a picture and sealed it in an envelope. (They had to turn the screen while they were checking on it.) Then we got to come home and share it with the kids, my nieces, nephew, and my mom. It was really cool.

We let Shayden open it and when he read......"boy" he was jumping up and down so happy yelling "boy! boy!"

Of course this made Jasmine so sad (I think his reaction compounded her disapointment because it felt like she had somehow lost at something) and she cried and cried "but I wanted it to be a girl!"

It was hard to calm her down until I offered to paint her nails because "that's what girls get to do". It was funny.
So we are having a boy!


I already knew it, ever since Jasmine was born I knew the next one would be a boy.

Yeah!

Ballet Recital 2008

Great job girls! You did amazing, I am glad I got to go finally after all these years!

All three of you are beautiful and so graceful!

(since she dances on "point" they only rent their costumes, so I couldn't get a picture of her in it)

Daisy's Birthday

Us: "Okay Daisy, it's your birthday, so in order to have your treat you have to wear this hat for a picture"

Daisy: "What is this thing? I don't want to wear this, get it off"

Daisy: I mean it, I'm not wearing this thing!

Daisy: "Fine. I'll wear it for one picture. You happy? Now can I have it?"

Us: "Thanks Daisy!"
Daisy: "yeah, whatever, yum."

Today we get to find out the gender of the baby! Yeah!

Father's Day 2008

This year we started a couple of new traditions. The first was making Jonas a Father's Day Tie. He got one a few years ago from our nursery leader with Jasmine's picture and now he has one with the 2 1/2 kids on it. He wore it proudly so I think he loved it, and we had fun making it. I think we will do one for each year.

(the purple gloves were for the umpa loompa dance we made him do later)


The kids and I made him a yummy breakfast and then after church we worked hard at creating our first annual Father's Day scavenger hunt. We made him run all over the place doing silly things for his presents, it was great. The kids loved seeing dad be silly, as usual.

For one of the more serious presents, we gave him the flag from when his father passed away since he was in the military. It was in a nice hanging frame and it was perfect since it was Father's day. He was really touched by that gift.

Later that night we went to have dinner at my sister's home and opened presents, etc.

(my own silly dad)


I am so glad that I married a man that would turn out to be such a wonderful father.
Thank you Jonas, for all that you do for our family.

Venture Outdoors Festival

This is one of our favorite festivals this time of year. It's all about things to do outdoors so it totally gets us into the swing of summer! Kid races, archery, ice painting, and the most colorful snow plow in the city!

Our Family in Town from Texas

It has been such a fun week with my sister in law and 3 kids in town. They stayed at my sisters house so it was back and forth for us as much as possible.
The highlight for me was spending so much bonding time with my sister and sister in law. Sisters are awesome. I am so glad that my sister in law made the sacrifice and drove all the way here from Texas with three kids!
We did tons of shopping and went to the Olive Garden for a nice lunch.

I also loved watching the cousins play together since they don't see each other very often at all.

This little guy just pretty much stole my heart and he would not give it back! Ugh he is sooo adorable!

Come back soon Texas family!