Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Kessiah turns 11

Wow!  I just don't know how this is possible!  Kessiah is turning into an incredible young woman...it is so exciting to see her learn, grow, develop her talents and interests...I am so blessed to be her Mom!

She is a smart one (although we are struggling with math right now!  Fractions and decimals are really making her head spin and bring tears to her eyes on a regular basis!)...she loves to read and is quite crafty!  She was very happy to get back into piano this fall after a 9 month break!  And it is nice to hear her play again!

This year she wanted a 4 layer chocolate cake for her birthday (I think she was inspired by the 4 layer coconut cake I made for Sienna's birthday!)  It was a good one!

She sometimes gets annoyed at being the oldest of 6, but I am proud of the example that she sets for her younger siblings.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Corbin is 7 months old!

Wow!  We are on our way to one year now!

Corbin is getting pretty steady when sitting up, but he still needs someone sitting right by him.  He has been rolling from his back to his stomach for awhile but he is getting better at going from his stomach to his back.  He is still fascinated with his hands and likes to open and close his fists.

He has developed a more regular sleeping and eating routine over the past month.  It has been wonderful to have him sleeping through the night!

He is a wonderful addition to our family!





Sunday update

I thought a day when 5 of my 6 children all threw up on the same day deserved a post of it's own!  Hopefully, the rest of us won't get it tonight or tomorrow!

Needless to say, I did not get my Christmas decorations up today like I had planned!


Friday, November 25, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  Thanksgiving...we went to Richfield for Thanksgiving...it was the Ogden "on" year.  It was great to see my grandparents (who are 99 years old!  and still living on their own...although my parents just live down the street.)  It was nice to catch up with some cousins/aunts/uncles.  There were almost 70 people there!  And of course the yummy food!

2.  It was nice to spend some time with my parents, 2 of my brothers and their kids.  We had18 people in my parents house...good times were enjoyed, memories were made...the cousins had a great time together.

3.  Ryan and I did a little "Black Friday" shopping...taking advantage of the many people around to watch our kids...we found some things we wanted but not others.  We went to Walmart at 10:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving night to try to catch some deals...I think everyone in Richfield and the surrounding areas were at Walmart...the place was packed!  We ended up walking out with nothing!  At 5:00 a.m. Ryan dropped me off at K-mart while he went to Radio Shack to hopefully get a laptop.  After he stood outside for 30 minutes in the freezing cold he got to the checkout and was told the lady in front of him bought the computer he wanted!  They had 1...one...computer in the whole store!  Annoying! I think next year I'll do all my shopping online!

4.  It is always a little strange for me when we go visit family.  I'm used to being with my kids all day but when they have cousins around it seems like I don't get the chance to connect with them like I usually do...As much as we enjoy getting away...I do enjoy getting back home!

5.  Because it was Thanksgiving this week let me end my post with some things I'm grateful for!  The gospel, my husband, my children, my extended family, the scriptures, our prophet, freedom, Ryan's employment and benefits, health, the opportunity to homeschool my children...of course there are many more things...those are just the first ones that came to my mind!  I am truly blessed.




Friday, November 18, 2011

Five (or Six or Seven) for Friday

Sometimes my kids crack me up!  Here are some of my interactions for the week.

1.  Logan came up to me pushing his ears next to his head and said "When I do this my head looks like an oval!"  He was so proud of himself for making that observation.

2.  At lunch on Tuesday, Sienna didn't like much of what I had made (fish, rice, veggies).  After eating what she was going to eat, she said "Can I have some more veggies?"  It was a rather pathetic plea, but I happily gave her more...what mother wouldn't be thrilled to have their children ask for more veggies!

3.  Jenessa came to the conclusion that she wanted to get a degree in Early Childhood Education when she goes to college so she can teach preschool (she is actually really good with that age group and often helps me out with our "preschoolers")  She was so excited about the possibilities that she said "I can't wait to grow-up"

4.  One night at dinner Mason went around the table pointing to everyone and saying their name...in his 2 year old manner of course.  He has just started saying everyone's name over the past month...and he says them so cute...not quite getting all the correct sounds and syllables...but you know who he is referring to from the inflection and sounds.

5.  One evening when we were doing zones Sienna said "I wish I was Corbin"...now this was because Corbin was sitting happily in his high chair chewing on a tortilla and she was supposed to be cleaning up the family room!  Jenessa tried to convince her that she didn't wish she was Corbin because of all the things she could do that Corbin couldn't...but I don't think she bought it!

6.  This week Kessiah began a new unit in composition...she is supposed to write an editorial...which means we had to come up with a topic related to a local or world event about which she had an opinion! Her quote..."I don't have an opinion about anything!"  Really!  If you were to listen to her talk...she has many opinions! 

7.  Another Mason moment because he is so cute...whenever it is time to eat or go somewhere he is the first one ready and he tries to get everyone else on the ball!  When it's time to eat, he's at the table trying to get everyone's attention...he'll say "Fill in the Blank, Come On!"




Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Sienna is Six

My baby girl is getting bigger!  She has been really excited about this birthday.  She has been talking about/planning what kind of cake she wanted for the past two months.  She was right by my side for every step of making her cake.  She was so proud of herself because I let her use the beaters and crack the eggs!  She wanted a coconut cake...and even though she didn't think it was all that great...it was a super delicious yummy cake...really incredible (did I say that the cake was good and it was four layers!?)

She got a few things that she wanted...a scooter and some sparkle littlest pet shops as well as a necklace making kit and some piano books.  She has been wanting to take piano lessons, so I got her a set of very very beginner books...we'll see how it goes!

She is an exuberant little girl. She is a great help in keeping Logan entertained (although sometimes that is a love/hate relationship) and tries so hard to help me with Corbin (Unfortunately, too often I have to tell her to stop!  But she does get to feed him quite a bit!)  Sometimes I sense her frustration at being the youngest of "the girls"...she finds herself in between the "bigs" and the "littles" and just doesn't know what to do!

I took this picture a couple of months ago during quiet reading time when she was still reading her beginning Hooked on Phonics readers...it made me smile!  And look!  She is wearing the same shirt that she wore today...funny!
I have made several small steps to do better in schooling her...it seems that she has not had the same preparation that her sisters had (imagine that...she is 6 and has 3 younger brothers!  I spent too much of that time on the couch being sick and pregnant!)  But she is extremely bright and picks things up quickly.  She has learned how to read during her first semester in kindergarten and tries to read nearly everything she can get her hands on.  We went to the library today and she was so excited to be able to pick out six books...the rule for Sienna and Logan is that they get to check out the same number of books as their age!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Weekend Edition

We had our last soccer games on Saturday.  It was a great season for Jenessa's team...they were undefeated.  She played goalie every games...sometimes for half and sometimes for the whole game.  She had a fun time and is always sad when a sports season ends.

Sienna is a little go-getter on the soccer field.  She loves to keep track of how many goals the team has and does a good job of helping that number go up!  She'll be back next season for sure!

Logan had fun and did great and keeping up with the herd (because it was Pee-Wee soccer and that is basically what happens...the herd chases the ball!)  I made a few mistakes on the timing of a couple of games...but thankfully he is young enough that he wasn't too upset that he missed them!

Kessiah and Jenessa also had a piano recital on Saturday (which caused Logan to miss another game...SORRY!)  They have enjoyed their piano teacher and it has been working out well to drop them off while I take everyone else to the library for storytime.



Saturday, November 12, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  We woke up to snow Monday morning!  It was a beautiful sight with a couple of inches all over!  The four oldest went out to play for a little while and then came in for some hot chocolate....so...of course, school got started a little late!

2.  On Tuesday afternoon Sienna started complaining that her ear hurt.  I gave her some Tylenol and she seemed better until that evening when she was in misery.  I even called Ryan home early from his meeting to give me some backup and a second opinion.  The next morning Ryan took her to the doctor where she was diagnosed with a bad ear infection.  The doctor cleaned out her ear (which she hated!) and sent her home with an antibiotic prescription.   We haven't had an ear infection in this house in years!

3.  Ryan had Thursday off work this week...since Veteran's Day is on a Friday and he works a 4 day week...he got Thursday off for the holiday.

4.  Jenessa and I went and got our hair cut at a local beauty college on Thursday morning.  I got 7 inches cut off and it is still well below my shoulders!  Jenessa got a few inches cut off and it makes her hair look so much better and healthier!

5.  Corbin has been sleeping MUCH better lately.   He has slept through the night several times and if he does wake up, he only cries for less than 20 minutes before falling asleep!  Yeah!





Friday, November 4, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  Halloween:  The kids had fun at the trunk or treat held in our church parking lot.  Ryan then took the four oldest around the block once we got home.  Costumes this year were a cowgirl (Kessiah), Little Red Riding Hood (Jenessa), a fairy (Sienna), Tigger (Logan), Pooh Bear (Mason), and a football (Corbin).

2.  My parents had to go back home on Tuesday morning.  We had a fun weekend with them...soccer games, carving jack o'lanterns, making animal shapes out of roll dough, and Halloween.  They also took the girls to gymnastics on Monday morning.  We kept them busy and had a good time!  My dad came to the realization that it has been 5 years since I have either not been pregnant at Halloween or had a young baby!  It makes sense when you realize that I have 4 children that are 5 years old or younger!

3.  Jenessa realized that she liked my homemade sloppy joes BETTER than Manwich!  I finally tried making my own a couple of months ago because I really didn't enjoy the Manwich variety...but that was all I had ever made so Jenessa has been very resistant to trying it (in other words...she has refused...and I have make some Manwich whenever I made homemade to make her happy!)  So...that makes me happy since it helps me in my quest to make most things from scratch!

4.  On Friday, we all went shopping and bought our Halloween costumes for next year...the only way I will buy Halloween costumes.  It was fun...and a little crazy...I mean shopping with 6 children when all of them are excited and still on a sugar high from all the candy over the past week can be a little noisy!

5.  Corbin had his 6 month appointment on Friday morning.  He weighed in at 15 pounds 13 ounces (16%) and is 25 1/4 inches (4%)...Did you see that?  He is at the 4th percentile for height!!!