Sweet Big Sister

Rachel is such a sweet big sister to her little brother David. When we are all getting ready to go somewhere I can count on Rachel to patiently help her brother get dressed and get his hair combed.  She takes such pride in getting his part straight and bringing him downstairs for my "inspection".  She is a little mommy in the making and I can't describe how proud I am of her for being so helpful and kind. David can be a little buggar sometimes and she has learned how to coax and motivate him to get ready.  She is an awesome big sister and an incredible Mommy's helper.  Thank you Rachel- Your Mommy LOVES you!!!

Easter 2011

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A Day in April

Yesterday while Julia and Jared were at tutoring for math, I took David and Rachel to Patriot's Park in Fair Oaks. So funny to me how one of the concerns people always bring up about homeschooled children is "socialization". Yet David went to the park yesterday and easily struck up conversations with two little boys, one younger and one older, and had fun with both boys. Rachel took this picture. David and his new friend played pirates, starwars and avoided stepping in the "hot lava" all around the park.

Zoe's Aunties and Uncle adore her...

Zoe with her Great Grammy Lynn.

Watching "Guardians of the Owls" yesterday at my Mom's with David and Zoe while the other kids were at piano/voice lessons. Zoe was watching the owls and I would say, "Oh, look at the pretty birds, Zoe, see the owls...." Then a few times I thought I heard her try to say "bird". I turned to my Mom and said, "Mom, Zoe's saying bird!" My Mom looked at me in total disbelief until I again said, "See the pretty birds" and she repeated it again. In this video Rachel gets back from her lesson and when we tell her about Zoe saying bird she says to her "Owls, Owls, Bird. Can you say bird?" and guess what she says? She'll be 8 months old in three days. In the beginning of this video she gives Rachel one of her big slobbery kisses like she usually does but Rachel had just put lotion on her face; so funny when Zoe gets a taste of the lotion! Be patient and wait until the end of this video to hear her say "bird".

Oak Park

"I picked these flowers because I love you!"

Mother/Daughter Book Club

"The Doll House People" @ the Christiansen's

Competition Cheer 2/26

Julia has taken tumbling and now tumbling/cheer for a little over a year now. She has been having fun being part of the competition cheer squad the last few months.

Jared Turns 15!

February 20th 2011

Zoe

This picture of Zoe was taken February 9th. Her smile with those two bottom teeth is just too cute!

Zoe Sitting, Bouncing and Giggling

This picture of Zoe was taken February 23rd. She is a 6 months and 6 days old. Her fluffy chick hair is so soft and smells sooo sweet.

Grandpa Harry Takes the Kiddos to a Movie

My Dad came over today and took all the kids to a movie. It is amazingly quiet. My homeschoolers heart is having an argument with my head that it could be so almost everyday, at least for a little while...

My heart always wins that I would miss all these gorgeous smiles
if they were gone from me most of the day.

Sweet things my baby boy has said or done in the last few weeks:
While counting... one-teen (11) or tooty-two (22) alway makes him break out in giggles when I point out his funny mistake.
His happy sigh when we get to the end of "Are You My Mother?" when the baby bird finds his Mother at the end of the story.

Primary Thank You

David gave the prayer in Primary and his Primary President sent him a sweet little thank-you card with a piece of gum inside. David was thrilled to get something in the mail and was super happy when he found his piece of gum.

Saturday at Coloma, 2/5

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Julia turns 13, January 25!

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Zoe's First Teeth, Jan 21st Visit

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Zoe playing "peekaboo" with Rachel

Zoe Finds Her Toes!

Cami sent these pictures a few weeks back of when Zoe started playing with her toes; so adorable is all this Grandma has to say!

December 22, 2005

I've been trying to organize my pictures better on my computer and I came across this video of Jared giving Rachel and Julia horsey-rides on his back. It was taken a few days before Christmas in 2005, David is just about 4 months old. I didn't think I had any video of David as a baby because my computer and camera at the time were so lame my computer would freeze up anytime I would try to upload video to the computer so I just didn't take many videos. So sweet to see them all so little again.


Awww...David's chubby cheeks and Rachel's little voice brought tears to my eyes.

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Thanksgiving 2010

My blogging has come to a halt and it's all this smilebox's fault...It takes too long to view and there are too many pictures. Homeschooling four children this year has left me little time to spend on smileboxes and blogging.
Fun time at the Gidleys this last year for Thanksgiving though.

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Zoe Says "Da Da" for the First Time!

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Christmas Letters from Jared

Dear Mom,
This year I wanted to give you some thing different, I’m going to write you a thank you letter. I’m thankful for all the things you do for me, how you’re always there when I need to talk to someone. I’m thankful for you driving me back and forth from taekwondo. I’m thankful for the time you take in home schooling me. I’m thankful for the resources you give me to learn. I’m thankful for how you always understand where I’m coming from. I’m thankful for how you always try to make my childhood a good one. I’m thankful for how you always try to give the best advice you have when I have a problem. I’m thankful for you allowing me all the things that you do. I’m thankful for how you never lose an augment. And last but not least I'm thankful for all the wonderful Christmas’s you gave me.
Love,
Jared

Dear Dad,
This year I wanted to give you some thing different I’m going to write you a thank you letter. I’m thankful for all the things you do for me, how you’re always patient with me. I’m thankful for how you always work all the time even when you don’t feel like it. I’m thankful for how when you put your mind to some thing it always gets done. I’m thankful for you always trying to teach me some thing. I’m thankful for the house & room you provide for me. I’m thankful for when you get up early to take me to seminary. I’m thankful for when you always try to get me to church a half hour early. I’m thankful for you when you listen to my problems that I’m having. I’m thankful for your sense of humor, and last but not least I'm thankful for all the wonderful Christmas’s you gave me.
Love,
Jared

Our Zoe Bear

Zoe Ready for Christmas

The look on Zoe's face so reminded me of this picture of her Daddy!

Zoe laughing at her Daddy in the car

Brandon got to hear Zoe laugh for the first time when playing peek-a-boo with the car door. Nothing sweeter than a baby's laughter!

Friday With Our Sweet Zoe

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Strawberries in November

Last Wednesday David and I went outside to water the plants and we found all the sunny weather had left us a bunch of ripe red strawberries to pick!