ten on tuesday

What a crazy, busy, fun, spiritual week.

1. I love my new library, mostly because they have about 12 sister ones that they share material with and they have some great books!!! See the Miss Mallard mystery books! I love them. PLus they have some great BBC masterpiece theater movies that I love!

2. Jeffrey wanted to match Henry and this was the best photo of them matching. Did I mention he wanted to cut his hair like Grandpa Sherwood, a horseshoe hair cut. needless to say we just buzzed his hair :)

3. Saturday our ward has been doing a day of service for the last 3 years. They host a 5k and kids dash. It is a peanut butter run for hunger. Cost is to donate PB or other canned foods. We had a blast. I ran with Will and Annmarie. Chris pushed Jed and Henry, while running with Jeffrey. I cannot tell you how proud I was of them. The kids did amazing!!!! Most of the photos are from the races blog.

 Pre-race photos

Jeffrey finishing!!

He was so proud!!

The kids Dash.

Jeffrey and Jed's age group ran 1st. 

I wish I could have this original. I love his face. I think Jeffrey had the time of his life on Saturday.

Jed loved it. He told me very proudly he got a sucker and 5th place. 

 Jeffrey with his gold medal

Will and Annmarie's age group was last. Will got 2nd. 

4. Saturday night Chris took Will and Jeffrey to a Nat's game. They rode the metro (train/subway) and loved it. Needless to say the weather didn't cooperate very well and the game was delayed. Although now they get tickets to a game next season. At least the train ride was fun.

5. Sunday Chris and I got to talk in church. The scripture we were given was Choose you this day whom ye will serve. I think this was the hardest talk I have ever given. It is so broad! people told us we did well, so you can take that for whatever it means.

6. Monday was the day of all days. We found out that CHRIS PASSED THE IOWA BAR!!!!!!!!! It is amazing how months and months of stress can melt off in a matter of seconds. I am so proud of him and all the hard work he put into school and the test. We are so lucky to have Chris in our lives.

7. So to celebrate I asked a lady in our ward to watch the younger 2 so Chris and I could go out for lunch yesterday at one of our favorite Vegas places to eat. Texas de Brazil. Well needless to say lunch in only served on Fridays. This photo was taken before we discovered that. So we went to Cafe Rio instead. It was great can't complain.

8. Monday for family home evening we wrote some letters to people. I loved reading Will's. In one of them he said I hope you have the spirit with you. How cute is that!!! I love my kids.

9. Will has been waiting for this day for a long long time. He gets his first Violin lessons today. He is so excited. Hopefully this excitement continues through the year.

10. As Chris and I were talking last night I said how did our marriage survive the last few months. WE had him studying for the bar, waiting to hear about the bar, the worst move in the history of moves, starting new schools for 4 people. It was just a bit stressful. He Said Heavenly Father was watching out for us. I know this is true. I know that we as a family would not have made it through these past few months intact without help from above. I am so thankful for anyone who at any point said a prayer for us. It was truly something that helped us. Thank you!

how did I forget this photo

This is another favorite photo of the last week. Will was reading on the couch at the Library. Henry was terrorizing the little kid section. He found a book he wanted to read then started yelling WEELL. WEEELL. and went over to Will and then Will helped him up on the couch and started to read to him. This was another wonderful moment.

ten on tuesdayish

 1. We went to the library and found movies for me!!! Plus I've started to convince Annmarie she needs to like this stuff as well,

2. We got the kids on the swing to sing Happy Birthday for a friend. The kids loved it. I am ever so thankful we have this swing and the kids love it too.

3. Jed decided he wanted to do TRX with me. He was so cute to watch. He wanted to do a tabata as well (8 rounds of 20 sec exercise 10 sec rest). He is really loving being with me all day long.

4. Much to my suprise the kids have been pushing Henry alone on the swing. Figuring he would fall off it made me a bit nervous, but he totally has the hang of it and loves it!

5. While on a date (WE WENT ON A DATE!!!!!!!)  with Chris we were wondering around Kohls and look what I found. If only they were lighter brown. My parents had something similar as kids and I loved the nostalgia.

6. Henry loves his rain boots (see photo above) and he sometimes struggles to walk in them. Well he fell down our front steps and face planted into the cement at the bottom. He cried for about 10 seconds and then went on the swing. Henry loves that swing

7. Jeffrey lost his 2 front teeth on Saturday. We love listening to him talk. Sometimes I have to stop myself from laughing. He had school photos taken yesterday, hope he smiled big!

8. We finally ventured back behind our tree line. I had heard people playing basketball every once and a while. Then we discovered a path. This is what we found about 50 yards from our porch. My kids love this place!

9. While playing outside with the kids yesterday and watching these 2 just love to play together it made me so happy for the simple things in life that I am blessed with. I'm so lucky to spend my days with these 2 kids.

10. I have decided not to join a gym at this time. I have been running outside while pushing the jogging stroller (ugh!!) But have been finding parks to throw my trx straps up or do lunges squats etc. We went on a jog as a family Monday night. I'm so thankful for an active family.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Jed loves being the top dog while the kids are at school. He thinks he gets to do whatever he wants. We started doing some pages in his "preschool" work book. He really loves the attention. Plus he has these button down shirts that he calls his school shirts and freaks out when he cannot wear them. This kid is crazy :) He really struggles some days when he has his electronic privileges taken away.

2. Henry. . . well lets just say I think he is the most stubborn of all of our kids. We have been working with him on saying please. Lets just say that he seems to have the strongest will of any of our children. He has loved playing in our campfires (2 in the last week). He runs up to them with a roasting stick and tries to beat it in the fire. It is wonderful to watch this. Oh wait it causes panic because all I can see are 3rd degree burns.

3. Annmarie got to go to activity days (8-11 yr old girls) yesterday. The leaders want her to come because she is new and all the other girls are already 8. She loved it. As Chris says she is like a duck on water. She seems to make friends so quickly. That is a true blessing

4. Will has gets the opportunity to play the violin this year. Hopefully he will enjoy it. I just hope he gets out of his life is not fair and I am always angry stage. Hope this passes soon and I fully realize that this is because of a lot of different factors.

5. Jeffrey, his listening ability has decreased big time!! It seems that he is going through his I'm going to yell NO, stomp away and do whatever I want stage.

6. Chris is enjoying his classes and likes being at a school that actually has some amazing things. He seems to enjoy his Saturday morning mowing of the yard.

7. I have been doing stuff. I have managed to work out 4 times in the last week. It does wonderful things for me. I have decided to not find a gym. Mostly the cost, and then to see if I can do it on my own. I have a lot of tools so why not put them to use. I am struggling with the kids. It seems that lots of stuff is going on. I dread Tuesdays - Thursdays. Chris leaves before 6 am and gets home after 10 pm. Hopefully a few weeks of a good routine fixes most things. Here is my spot for TRX, I run with the kids in the trailer (oh man that is terrible!!!)

8. We have made s'mores twice with new friends this past week. It is so nice to have a place to do this. The kids have loved it.

9. Jed and Henry love playing at the bus stop waiting for the kids to get home. I'm glad that my kids love to see each other.

10. We got bunk beds for the boys rooms, thank you amazon and their book buy back program we got them almost free. Hopefully these last as long as the old ones (5 plus years).

bonus is that Henry is a better chore person than the rest of my kids. Here in blurry photos he is taking clean dishes out of the dishwasher and putting them in the lazy susan.

Ten on Tuesday

1. school started Today!!! oh what a wonderful day it is.

Jeffrey 1st Grade Mrs R

Annmarie 2nd Grade Mrs L

Jed, no grade just home with me

Will 4th grade Mrs R

2. Chris started as well. He leaves in the AM at 6/6:30 and got home early last night at 9:30. It might be a long year.

3. Saturday is our work on "the farm" day. Chris mow's and the kids rake. I clean the inside. we also trimmed trees/ bushes.

Henry loves to play in the mowed grass

Jed. . . well he is Jed and likes to put swords, light sabers, and broom sticks in his pants

4. We also made a tree swing. The kids love it. I find it pretty cool as well.

5. Being in a new ward is always interesting. The kids have made friends. It always amazes me how quickly kids make friends.

6. The boys have been sleeping with their mattresses on food storage boxes. Thanks to Chris selling his books back to Amazon we were able to get the boys 2 bunk beds for their room for basically free. They should come tomorrow

7. We spent Friday visiting the Mall. The kids had a good time. they really seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully we keep our goal of going to sights once a month in tact.

Showing the kids my favorite place on the Mall

I found my dream job.

Proof my kids can be kind! This was on the way home after our day seeing sights

8. Tonight we got a package in the mail from Michelle. She had gotten the kids some new(to them) school clothes. Sometimes the thoughtfulness of others just seems to overwhelm me.

9. Chris has discovered that not drinking Pop has benefits. He told me he has lost 10 lbs since he stopped drinking pop. Which has been almost a month (driving across the country was the only exception)

10. We have most of our boxes unpacked. My goal is to unpack a box a day (since we have the essentials done) hopefully by next week I will be all done.