ONE!

Happy Birthday to our handsome man! 

I can't believe it has been a year.

He still isn't feeling well as you can tell from the pictures of him eating his cupcake.

He wanted so bad to enjoy it but he hardly touched it. 

We love you Henry! 

almost

My heart breaks just a little knowing this handsome baby will be turning one in just a matter of DAYS!

He is such a joy and a delight.

Unfortunately he has been sick.

We all have been a little under the weather, barfs are the worst.

I am not sure what is worse, spending weeks cleaning up other peoples throw-up, or throwing up myself.

Both are pretty bad.

Hopefully he is over it!

beakfast in the sunshine

Breakfast is a cherished time for me.

It is usually quiet and peacful

then the yelling and screaming come when its time to get to work with chores and school work.

and some mornings are nicer than others. 

Wild and Free

I stumbled upon a homeschool community called {wild and free} 

It is based on a lot of the same values and choices I made when I decided to homeschool my kids.

Sending them off to a stranger and 20 or more stranger children who get to be the ones to teach my child and watch them grow.

{I couldn't do it}

That is one reason I homeschool.

I actually wanted to be with my kids more than I was.

I wanted to teach them.

I wanted to decide what they learn and how they learn it.

This group has been great.

Full of wonderful people who just love to be outside and let our kids run

{wild and free}

This particular time we went to the Rio Grand.

It was breathtaking.

So beautiful that we took daddy back. 

hard topics

I am trying to get my girls out more to make some friends, spend time talking with others, and socializing them. I had no idea that this day would be the day I would have to talk to my girls about how some people were born a gender and feel they are a different gender.  It definitely caught me off guard at a play group with young children.

But we had to have that conversation and it went something like this...

{there was a child who had short hair like a boy but was in a dress but said they were a boy, and I have no idea what gender they were born into.. But at that time, the child wanted to be a boy}

Heavenly Father doesn't make mistakes, but sometimes someone is born a girl and in there mind they feel like they should be a boy, and sometimes a child is born a boy and they feel they should be a girl. And you know what, that is ok.  We are all sent here to make out own choices and we are not someone to tell someone else that they are wrong for how they feel.  We are to be kind and respectful to all.

They said "ok mom, I can do that"

It went better than I thought it would.

Halloweeeeeeeen

fourth of july campground

A few weeks ago the kids and I went out to the fourth of july campground to see if we could find any more colors.. Most of the colors are gone here by us.  

We found a few more pictures.

I also needed to add some excitement to our week.

We were all a little cranky and to bossy.

Sometimes homeschool gets us extra bossy and extra cranky and we just need to get out.

We didn't stay long as we saw way to much bear poop.  We didn't walk far, the kids enjoy just being out and being there looking and playing around. 

When I decided to homeschool John was 100% not on the same page.  He thought it was possibly the worst idea.

Recently he has told me how pleased he is with how it is going.

I truly feel called to do this. To be with my children, to be the one teaching them. 

It is something that I have wanted to do, but it wasn't until the end of last year that I decided that I needed to.

My children are to important to me to just send them off.  They end up spending more time away from me than with me.  This year has been a learning experience. We are still trying to find ways to make friends.  But I keep saying "when I get this accomplished then we will try better" but then I don't end up doing that thing I said I needed to do.  So we are just going to do it.

I am also trying to figure out how to teach each child, and give my other children what they need.  I have in my mind the way I want so teach them, but also the "I have to do things like they do in public school" repeating in my mind. I am working on my balance.  Charlotte has already moved from 1st grade to 2nd grade. Nellie is almost done with division. 

We are moving right a long with school.

Continuing to enjoy our childhood and not having them grow up to fast.