2012 Blue Jeans Week 34

We made it through the first full week of school.  We had some changes on the home front with church callings.  Ben was called as early morning seminary teacher.  So he teaches high school kids (4 kids total including our Miss A) from our church from the New Testament every morning from 6:10 a.m. to 7 a.m.  He teaches in our basement.  I was released from the Relief Society (women's organization) presidency and put in the Young Women's presidency so I get to be with my two oldest girls.  I meant to get a picture of Ben teaching in the morning this week, but honestly I don't get up that early.  Maybe next week :)

 

Sunday:  Mr J and Miss E wanted to make cookies today.  They wanted the peanut butter ones with the Hershey's kisses in the middle--yum!   I was happy to oblige.  They are one of our family's favorite cookies.

 

Monday:  For our family night treat Miss E was in charge, and she made ice cream cookie sandwiches-yum!  Our family really likes cookies, and ice cream makes them even better!

 

 Tuesday:  Today after school it was windy out, and Miss E decided it would be fun to 'fly' on the trampoline.  She had the best time as the wind whipped her blanket as she jumped.  The trampoline is one of our family's favorite things.

 

Wednesday:  Mr J had a rough night last night.  He is starting to develop bad allergies, so he was up for several hours during the night because he couldn't breathe through his nose, and then he had some nightmares.  After being up from 3 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.  I was not waking him up for school at 7, so I let him sleep.  He slept until 10 a.m, and then he woke up, walked down the stairs and said to me in a very groggy, sleeply voice, "Mom, you forgot to take me to school!"  :)  so we quickly got him ready and to school by 10:30. 

 

 Thursday:  Sonic happy hour is another favorite thing of our family's.  It is very convienent that Sonic is right on the way home after picking up the kids from school.  Vanilla limeades are my kids' favorites, and I love a lemonberry fruit slush.

 

 Friday:  Sometimes I substitute in the kids' elementary school.  Today I was working in their library, and Mr J's class came in.  So I snapped a picture of him reading at his library table, atleast he was supposed to be reading, but then he saw his mother taking a picture of him, and he stuck a book over his face because he was embarrased.  Yes, I am that kind of mom :)

 

Saturday:  Our girls had a church basketball tournament up in the city today.  They played really well and got 3rd place, but it was a very long day.  We left at 7 a.m. and didn't get home until 5 p.m., and after 6 basketball games we were very tired!

 

Thanks for visiting.  I posted the directions for the bleached shirts on the post before this if you didn't get to see them.  Have a great week! 

2012 Blue Jeans Week 10

Welcome to Blue Jeans Momma.  I am so happy you came to visit.  I am doing my 4th year of a picture-a-day Project Life to document the life of my family of 6.  I try to blog on
Mondays--my week in pictures
Wednesday--mouth-watering Wednesdays where I share a recipe--a simple, easy, yummy recipe
Fridays--Fabulous Fridays where I share random things I love

Can you believe we are 10 weeks into this year?  They say times flies, but as I grow older it seems to fly faster, and I am not appreciating the spring forward time change.  To me that just seems to put things on 'fast forward.'  I think we should all adopt Arizona's policy and not have the time changes.  It would make my house happier.  It was not a happy morning getting everyone up today.  Hope it went better at yours :)  Here is what we have been up to this week. . .

Sunday:  Sunday evening desserts are a very treasured tradition at our house.  Usually we eat them while playing a game at the kitchen table.  Tonight we had key lime tarts and played Yahtzee. 

Monday:  Monday nights are family night at our house.  We have a religious lesson, sing songs, plan the week, play games, and have treats.  We rotate who is in charge of each activity.  Tonight Ben was in charge of activities, and he set up a Nerf gun shooting range in the family room with blocks to hit.  You got so many points for hitting certain blocks.  I think my score was 3, and Mr J smoked us all with his sharp shooting ability and won.  Miss A is taking her turn shooting while everyone watches.

Tuesday:  My family has varied musical tastes, but lately the one album we all love is Adele 21.  It is constantly blaring in the van while I am driving (thus this picture) and is on everyone's favorite play lists.  Even Mr J can sing you all the words to all the songs.  "Rumor has it" is his favorite :)

Wednesday:  In case you didn't know, we live in a small town.  My parents also live in this small town.  It is the small town I was blessed to grow up in.  My mom is the librarian at my kids' elementary school.  How awesome is that to be able to go to the library at school and check out a book and to get a hug from your Nana while doing it?  That has been a blessing in my kids' lives.  Today I worked at my mom's library as her para.  It was fun to check in and out books to all the kids--including my own, and spend the day helping my mom.  This is me and my amazing mom in her library at school.

Thursday:  In the evenings before bed Ben likes to read aloud to the kids.  He usually reads to them in our bedroom.  He is currently reading The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsail.  While he reads Mr J likes to bring in his train pieces and make train tracks.  He has always been a huge Thomas the Train lover and lover of trains in general.  I love this.  After 3 girls it is fun to have lots of trains in the house.  Sometimes it can be rather annoying to step on train tracks in the middle of the night, but I keep reminding myself, "You are going to miss this one day," and I know I will, and I also know that day will come much quicker than I want it to.

Friday:  It was a beautiful day after school today.  To enjoy it Mr J and Miss E went out on the trampoline to read and enjoy the sunshine.  They came prepared with blankets, water bottles, and snacks.

Saturday:  Today was our state's Republican caucus.  I am very proud to be an American, and I take my right to vote very seriously.  When we found out a few months ago that our caucus was an hour away (one way) there was no doubt in my mind we would go.  Voting is very important to me, and I honestly don't think I have missed voting at a local, state, or national election since I turned 18 and was able to vote.  We live in a country where we are blessed to have freedom and a choice, and we need to vote and exercise that freedom and choice.  So, Friday Ben and I drove two hours round trip with my parents to vote at our caucus, and even though who I voted for didn't win our state, I still voted, and it was worth it. 

Hope you all have a good week and that everyone adjusts quickly to the time change--that is what I am wishing for here!  Soccer and track start this week--let spring begin!

 

Blue Jeans Week 35

A week to remember. . .

Sunday:  This is one of my favorite of the thousands of images from the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  I think the memorial is beautiful.  I went to NYC  as a teen and went in and ate in the basement of one of the Twin Towers.  I would like to go back now and see it again.  It is so important to remember.

Monday:  We have a big garden 50' x 50' and we planted over 24 tomato plants and none of those plants are dead, but we have not seen a single tomato yet either, but we have had a huge harvest of zucchini and yellow squash.  We can never get sick of zucchini, but I think my family has had their fill of yellow squash.  Miss O chops some up for dinner.

Tuesday:  Over 2 months ago in July, before we left on vacation, we had a strong storm, and it blew some shingles off.  Ben hurried and bought a tarp to cover the part of the roof that was bare, and we left on vacation hoping for no rain.  Well, waiting on insurance and contractors we have had this lovely blue roof now for over 2 months, and finally this week we are getting a new roof and getting rid of the blue tarp.  Thank heavens this was on the back of the house :)

Wednesday:  Homework, homework, homework is a constant thing at my house "Did you get your homework done?"  is probably the most common question asked after "Did you practice your piano?"  and "Did you clean your room?"  Miss A is quite comfortable doing her homework on the floor.

Thursday:  I snap pictures all the time, all the time, and my kids are used to it and just ignore me.  Ben is not so used to it :)  Gosh, I love that cute boy.  Today he was helping Mr J with his piano.     

Friday:  I actually worked and got paid for my work today--first time in almost 14 years :)  Being a stay-at-home mom is the best job in the world, but the monetary pay isn't so good :).  My mom is the librarain at my kids' elementary school, and today she had to be gone and her para also had to be gone, so she begged me to come work for her that day in the library.  Little did I know the paperwork and hoops I would have to jump through to help out my mom for 7 hours.  I had to get a TB test done and a drug test.  I thought--serioursly?  Oh my, but I had a fun day at the school library.  I checked out 186 books and shelved about that many.  I got to check out books to this cute little guy too--it was fun seeing Mr J and Miss E at school.

Saturday:  This is one of the big trees in our front yard.  The kids love to play in it and under it and around it.  It has a tree swing in it.  We were so sad to find out that the power company is putting in a new powerline down our street, and it looks like our trees are going to have to be cut down.  We are so sad and just sick about it.  Makes me want to cry.  Of course they say they will pay us for it, but how do you appraise the value of a tree?  I love trees.

Blue Jeans Week 27

Finally got a little rain and some cooler-only 99 instead of 104-temperatures :)  so we are doing good!

Sunday:  Miss E reads to Mr J.  Love it when the older girls read to their younger brother.  So sweet!  Of course 5 minutes after they are done they are fighting with each other, but at least we have a few minutes of peace when they read to each other :)  We will take what we can get. 

Monday:  Went to the city today, and whenever we go we hit Costco--our favorite store.  They always have such pretty flowers, and today they had these awesome pinecone type flowers--don't know the name--the girls were so impressed with so Miss A took a picture.  Anyone know what they are called?

Tuesday:  The library was having a Spiderwick mini-camp this week.  Miss E is making her fairy/sprite house.  Love the library.  Love that the mess is there and not at my house :)

Wednesday:  Summer fun--swim in the pool to keep ourselves cool

Thursday:  It seems like in our house someone is always on the piano--with 4 taking lessons.  Got a shot of Miss O getting her practicing done today.

Friday:  Had a church camp out this weekend.  Mr J and his friend enjoying their meal in between their swimming in the lake they camped by.

Saturday:  Ben and Miss A enjoy the lake on the camp out. 

Hope you all have a great week!

Blue Jeans Week 25

We had a great 4th of July weekend.  Didn't do too much, kept it low key, watched fireworks from our back yard, went swimming, BBQ, Ben slept with the kids in a tent in the backyard, and enjoyed being together as a family.  Hope you all had a good one!

Sunday:  Our kids really like paying games--board games, card games, etc.  This afternoon they played PayDay with Ben.

Monday:  For part of our 4th of July dinner Miss E made patriotic strawberries dipped in white chocolate with blue sprinkles.  They were yummy!  She saw them in Family Fun.  Ben was her helper :)

Tuesday:  I love to fly our flag.  So grateful for our country, freedom, and the men and women that work so hard to keep it that way!  God bless them and their families!

Wednesday:  Nana taught Mr J a duet that they can do together.  Having a sucker in his mouth must have helped him play better :)

Thursday:  Like I have said before, we love the library and are there lots in the summer.  For each pound of books the kids read they get to donate a penny to the library for new books.  Mr J adds his 10 pennies for reading 10 lbs this week.  He is up to 100 lbs for the summer so far--super reader!

Friday:  Classic summer shot, I am watching the kids in the pool--love summer time!

Saturday:  Got up to a city and a Toys-R-Us to get these Poptropica toys.  My brother is a web designer for the kids' online game (he does the people and scenery), and they just came out with some toys from it.  My brother designed these toys.  The kids were so excited to get their Uncle's toys!  If your kids aren't Poptropica fans, they should be, it is a safe, fun online kids game, and so much fun!  All of my kids ages 6-13 play it.  Check it out  http://www.poptropica.com/

Hope you all have a great week!  I am getting caught up on my paper Project Life this week.  Catching up on my journal cards and putting photos in.  Love it!

  

Blue Jeans Week 23

I hope all you fathers had a wonderful Father's day and everyone had a great week!  Here is what we have been up to. . .

Sunday:  Father's day--Ben with all the kids and an awesome 'Dad' shelf Miss A made him.

Monday:  The kids had made this to put on the table Sunday morning.  "You 'rock' Dad"  I love it!

Tuesday:  As part of the library summer kids' program they had a special musical concert for the kids with Thad Beach.  It was really fun and my kids enjoyed it.  We love our library!

Wednesday:  A value project that Miss A has been working on with my mom--they made this awesome quilt.  Way to go Miss A!!  Lots and lots of hours in that one!

Thursday:  This is our backyard volleyball court that Ben put up last fall.  Miss A, E and Mr J and Ben were playing this evening.

Friday:  Mr J took this picture of me and I was actually scrapbooking on the kitchen table.  I was working on the kids school albums. 

Saturday:  Burn, baby burn.  One of the advantages of living in the country is burning your brush pile.  Ben burned ours Saturday and has the hose handy just in case.  The kids thought it was pretty cool, or hot :). 

Hope you all are enjoying your summer and that you have a great week!