I am going to actually follow through on this goal. I am so sad at all the wonderful memories I am letting slip away because of my lack of journal writing. I want my kids to remember the good and bad. Here is to starting out a new year of blogging!
To start the story off---Aleah has no fear of spiders or bugs for that matter. The other day James and I were laying in bed talking about my recent trip to Bear Lake. Aleah came in and told James and I she caught a spider in her Hello Kitty purse. James trying to be funny took her purse and was squishing it teasing her he had killed it (During this time we didn't open the purse).
So Aleah left the purse on the bed and went off to play. A few minutes later she came back and said she had caught another spider this time in her fingers. I told James he had better go check what was going on. He checked her fingers to see what she really had. We decided she had an ant so James went to see where the ants were coming from. He couldn't see any in her room so we just figured it was a fluke. So James crawled back in bed to finish our discussion.
A few minutes later James jumps up and feels like he has bugs crawling all over him. There were ants all over his side of the bed. He grabbed Aleah's purse and opened it up to find she had candy in there covered in ants and now they were in our bed. We figured she must have left her purse outside and brought it in to tell us about her "spiders".
All night long James and I felt we had ants crawling all over us. Aleah sat there and just laughed. We learned that next time we need to look inside her purse instead of just pretending to kill the spider. The rest of the night we kept asking Aleah if she had ants in her pants. She just giggled everytime we asked her!
It is always so nice at the end of the year to be packing things away in anticipation for summer to arrive. Then, July quickly arrives and it is time to start thinking about the new year! It is always a task putting things back into order, and always seems to take more to put it back than it did to pile into a corner. However, this year was especially fun because I got a new Kiva in my room. (Kiva=a bench students sit on----THEY ARE HEAVEN SENT!)
I will have to update with photos after we have been in for a few weeks so you can see the bulletin boards all put together with the kids work!
BEFORE
AFTER
A lot of stuff has been going on since school got out! Hold on for all the news!
Justin---He has been staying at my dad's since school got out. My dad has kept him busy driving tractor, tearing out walls, weeding, painting, scanning, and anything he can find for Justin to do! Justin has loved every minute of it and I am afraid he just might want to stay with with Papa! A big deal for Justin is Papa got him a phone. Justin has been dying to get one since "EVERYBODY" has one! Boo Hoo---Is all I can say! I didn't have a cell phone when I was his age! He hates it when I say that. He is also studying to get his learner's permit! I don't even want to know how much my insurance is going to go u!
The pictures below are right after Justin got home from Seven Peaks after going with the 9th grade and forgetting to take the sunblock I had bought him. He said no one brought any! It was pretty bad. We had to go and get some Lortab for him to help with the pain. Hopefully next time he won't forget! He even missed the last week of school and yearbook signing because his burn was so bad! If you look hard enough you can see the blisters (he had him on his face as well!)
Rachael---She is getting ready to go to girl's camp tomorrow! She has been busy playing with friends this summer and trying to talk us into getting her a phone! It sure is tough not being teh oldest! We told her when she is 15 and starting to drive we would get her one! She is now on the countdown! Rachael loves her sister Aleah and loves to take her everywhere with her! We will see how long that lasts! Rachael had to sing with the Young Women during Sacrament and Aleah kept yelling for her! We eventually had to take Aleah out because she was so loud!
Ozzy---What can I say about him but that is LOVES the girls! I can't get him off the phone or from texting them! I get so many texts on the land line (new tech for me) and on my phone! It drives me crazy! He is also a fish and wants to go swimming everyday or to the rec center. I am glad he is not a couch potato and likes to be outside! He also plays a mean game of Kings in the Corner and I can never beat him! He is such a kind boy and is always helpful in all I ask of him! He is SO excited to go to San Antonio in a few weeks to spend time with his grandpa and grandma! I hope they can keep up with him!
Ryan---Ryan is very active this summer! He stays busy playing with friends and entertaining his little brothers! He loves Scouts and can't wait until he is big enough to go on overnight campouts!
Kolby----Kolby, Kolby, Kolby---What can I say but he is the clown in our family! He keeps us young and smiling. The picture below is him in a baby cradle I had as a little girl for my dolls. He was very funny to walk in his room and she him squished inside of it! The things that boy will think of. He is so excited he gets to go to school with mom this year and he can't wait until I can be his teacher! SCARY! He just finished swimming lessons and did a great job! He was always watching to see if I was looking at him so he could wave! Oh the innocence of my little boy!
Princess Aleah---She is very loved and spoiled in our house. We all jump at whatever she does or needs. She is getting quite the personality and is constantly having us laughing. She is following in Kolby's footsteps in the entertainment department. She loves her big sister and is always into everything! I love the age she is and I was so happy when she could finally go into Nursery at church!
....more messy spaghetti and less worrying about the stained clothes, dirty face, and disgusting high chair!
I often wonder why I behave and act the way I do? Is it genetics, environmental or a little of both? The answer still eludes me and as much as I try, I wish I could change some of my personality flaws and be a better person, friend, family member, etc. It's not as easy as it sounds----It takes a valiant effort to change! However, I had a chance to look a little deeper at myself the other day while watching the Wizard of Oz with my students at school.
As I was watching, I started thinking how I could relate to each character in the movie. The Tin Man in search of a heart, the Lion wanting courage, the Scarecrow needing a brain, Dorothy who is trying to get back home, and the Wicked Witch of the West who was miserable! They all had something I could identify with personally.
I could relate to he Tin Man in different ways. I felt "If I only had a heart" for some people I know or have known or just life in general. I wondered why I was so stubborn and could not be so forgiving of those whom I felt had wronged me or how my own self-serving attitude had pushed others away. Because of this I have lost out on relationships that could have been healthy and good for my own personal growth! I asked myself, "How do I find a heart?" I want a heart that looks at everyone and sees beauty, kindness, and has compassion for everyone and everything. That is especially hard for me when I get in a funk! I let things bother me and I can hold grudges. I do not like the feeling I feel inside and I have to make a conscience effort to be non-judgemental and forgiving. It just comes down to wanting to have peace with myself and others "all" of the time and not just when I am in a funk!
Then I thought some more----I have been like the Cowardly Lion. Many times I have been afraid to stand up for things I want, believe, and feel-- in fear of being offensive. I do not like conflict and will keep the peace as to avoid it. That is one personality flaw I dislike about myself. However, because of this cowardliness it all comes out in an volcanic explosion from bottling it up inside. I have to remember to have courage and stand up for myself, others, even when it is the hardest. I have had an experience the last few weeks when I have had to do this! I had to confront a colleague I work with because of something she said to my son that was out of line. She now will not speak or look at me. As a mother, I had to confront her but it was the hardest thing to do to confront another teacher who is a friend. It has been hard and it took a lot of courage. However, I have found I have gotten over it by having the courage and saying something!
Then, the Scarecrow was the one I identified with the most on a happy note. I love to learn and love school. I would pursue a higher degree of learning (Doctorate) but I have to many little kids at home. That is a dream someday I would like to achieve. Learning is a lifelong process and should never end no matter how old you are!
Finally, there is Dorothy----At the beginning she felt ignored and alone! Yes---I times I feel that way and wonder if I make my kids feel that same way too. Am I go busy to stop and answer their questions or just talk? Does work take priority over my kids? Sometimes it does as much as I hate to admit that! I have to stop when Kolby wants me to come and watch him jump on the tramp, or listen to Justin tell me who he likes at school. Those are the moments I am missing and sending a wrong signal to my kids. Do I want them to think it is better "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" or do I want them to think our home is the rainbow? Finally, Dorothy finds her way home after finding her way and herself. That is how I feel on my journey through life. I think I am much harder on myself than I should be! Yes, I would love to be the perfect mom, wife, friend, teacher, etc., but unless I look inward and change me I will never be happy!
(Sorry for this being so long!)
