{March in the Books}

I read 8 books this month.  I had a couple that I really loved.  LOVED.  

Like Wonder.  

I posted this picture on my Instagram feed as soon as I finished it.  I loved it.  I want to buy a hard copy of it sometime in the future.  Such a great book.  More about it below...

Besides these books I also started a couple other different books and for one reason or another I couldn't get past the first couple chapters.  They weren't bad or disappointing, I just wasn't in the mood and will keep them on the back-burner for the future.

My March books were:

The Tutor's Daughter, Julie Klassen

I enjoyed this book.  I spied a girl reading a book by Julie Klassen one day at story time and was attracted to the cover of the book.  Klassen had a couple different books and they all look good to me, but then saw this book on a friends goodreads profile and thought I would start with this one. It had a little mystery and a little romance.  It was very clean and proper.  After finishing this book it was hard not to immediately pick up another book by Klassen.  I am looking forward to reading more by her in the future.

Just Ella, Annette K. Larsen

I keep seeing this book recommended to me by amazon, so I finally decided to try it.  I was not really looking forward to it - I know I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but I kinda did and thought this might be a fluffy type book.  I was really surprised and loved it!  Princess Gabriella - or Ella - doesn't like acting like the normal princess.  This story has a little romance and adventure. Once I started it I was sucked in and couldn't put it down.   It's a cute, clean read and I think a great young adult book too.

Freeing Your Child From Anxiety, Tamar E. Chansky

We've having some anxiety issues at our house.  I've read a couple anxiety books before, I really have liked Overcoming School Anxiety.   (click for link) It's a good resource and I review different chapters every now and again.  I decided I needed a little more help, so I headed to the library and checked out a couple different books.  This book was the one that I felt had the most useful information for me and our family.  We don't have a lot of major issues, but some minor anxiety that causes stress, makes bedtime hard, was starting to cause stress at school, etc.  This had good helpful ideas.

Please Explain Anxiety to Me, Laurie Zelinger

A friend recommended this book to me as a resource.  So, honestly, the pictures in this book I found really cheesy.  I was really skeptical when I started the book, but as I read it I was really impressed.  I couldn't wait to read this with the kid dealing with anxiety.  I knew this would help him!  It's a good tool to read with kids, it is in a language that they can understand.  We read this together the next day and it clicked with him.  Now we use this book a lot.  We are able to identify what is going on with our fears and we can read the book together and it helps us feel better about things.  

Kira-Kira, Cynthia Kadohata

I saw this book at school on a 6th graders desk one day and though it looked really interesting.  A story about spirit and strength, this book is about a young Japanese-American girl living in Georgia in the 50's.  I really loved this book.  I think if you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.  Other books you might enjoy if you like this one are, Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Each Little Bird that Sings, by Deborah Wiles, or Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner.

Wonder, R. J. Palacio

The last couple months I have started to see this around the school in different classrooms, it at the library and in stores.  But after Gage told me that his 4th grade teacher was reading it to their class and that he really loved it I decided it was time to read it.  Plus, I was up at night with a sick baby and couldn't do much but sit and hold her, so I downloaded a copy and could not put it down! I read it all night long. I LOVED this book.  I think everyone should read it.  The book is about a boy, August, who was born with some birth defects that make his face look different.  He has always been home schooled, but this book follows his journey of starting 5th grade in a mainstream school.  Wonder is a story about friendship, growing and love.  I cannot say enough good things about it.  Everyone should read it...really!

The Widow of the Larkspur Inn, Lawana Blackwell

I got this book free on my kindle.  There was nothing wrong with it.  I enjoyed it, but it wasn't a favorite.  It's a first book of a series and I might read the next couple books, but I'm not in a huge rush.  It was very clean and had a good Christian base.  It was more a story about a family learning who and how strong they are than a romance.  I would give this book 3, maybe 3 1/2 stars.

The Million Dollar Shot, Dan Gutman

This book is on a list of books for a reading competition at the school.  Our kids didn't sign up for Battle of the Books, but we have read a lot of the books on the list this year.  I hadn't read this one so when I saw it at the libary I thought I would check it out.  What a fun read!  Another book that I have loved this month.  It's only 114 pages and an intermediate book so it's easy to pick up and read in an hour or two.  Or read out loud to the kids - which we have done too.  Some parts have left me laughing out loud.  Great little book!

~~

So far my book total for the year is 27 and my goal was 65.  I might challenge myself and change that to 100.  

What have you read this month?

Pinewood Derby Character

The cub scout pinewood derby was this past month.  Gage and Wade worked pretty hard on the car together, but we had some hard lessons we learned this year.

Gage had a specific design he wanted to do while painting his car.  It took a couple days and a couple different coats of paint.  When it was finally finished it looked pretty sharp.  We have a can of clear coat spray paint that they were going to spray on the top to make it shiny and smooth.  Wade handed Gage the bottle, and Gage started spraying...only to find out a few seconds later that the can was silver paint instead of clear coat!  His paint job was ruined!  He was pretty upset.  I would have been too.  We finally got another idea figured out and he seemed alright with his car.  It wasn't his first pick, but it would work.

The big race was Friday night.  He was excited to race.  He has always placed so he was feeling pretty confident that he would place again this year.

(I have to add - we have been in 3 different wards for 3 different pinewood derbys...resulting in using 3 different tracks.  This one was not my favorite at all.  It was the least favorite and maybe that had something to do with the results, but it is what it is and sometimes life hands you a bumpy pinewood derby track and you just have to get over it.)

Gage's car did 1st, then 2nd, then 3rd...then 4th and consistently stayed between 3rd and 4th after that.  We looked at the result sheets after the awards were handed out and he took 5th place.  It wasn't horrible.  But it was good to learn that we can't always win.

I think the lesson of the night came for all the boys and I was so proud of our little guys.  This was one of the kids racing last year to compete and he had never placed in the previous years.  This year they finally got some help from another great family and the car looked fantastic - it is the blue and orange car above.  He was having a great time racing and was winning every heat.  In between running he somehow dropped his car and it broke.  It was such a sad moment.  He was just devastated. Devastated. It was his turn to race so he put what he could on the track and just was sad.  His parents where trying to figure out what to do.  Then the cars went down the track...and I wanted to cry...every single boy there cheered for this boys car!  They cheered for him even though he had been beating them the whole night.  And his car ended up still winning. And every boy there cheered for him! Tears immediately turned into smiles and he ended up taking first for the whole night.

So I'm sad Gage didn't place, but I'm glad we had the lessons we had.  And I was so impressed with the character of the boys.  That is what it is about!

{March}

 I few highlights from the month of March: 

I tried to hide the jumbo size bag of  chocolate cadbury mini eggs.  Apparently I didn't hide them good enough. I found Avery in the kitchen one morning at 6:30 and turned on the light to find this:  Caught red handed!

~~

We had a monday off school this month so I thought it would be a great idea to go on a family bike ride.  The picture looked so great, but it was not such a great time.  Everyone cried at least once.  Someone was ahead and someone else wanted to be, so and so could ride faster than so and so.  Lucy did a magic trick and somehow got out of the buckles of the bike trailer and Wade turned around just in time to see her almost fall out.  He rode the rest of the way carrying her, and riding the bike.  It was kinda a big mess.

But maybe we'll do it again and it will get better!

~~

Daddy made some awesome super hero masks.

~~

Lucy decided to ride the scooter.

Lucy also decided to walk this month.  I've already posted a video of it.  She is quite the mover now and always has someplace to go and someplace to be.  She still won't wear any type of shoes longer than a few minutes.  Silly girl.

Lucy was sick this month.  We spend a lot of nights up with her screaming, or up with her only wanting to sleep with me holding her.  She ran a fever for 3 days.  I finally took her in and she was treated for an ear infection.  She is finally feeling better and sleeping better.

I had my birthday and turned 34.  It was okay. I went out to breakfast with my sister, and Wade and I went on a date the day before.  My father in law took our whole family went out for Chinese on the actual day.  A had some great friends send good wishes and spoil me.  I know I am blessed, but I felt rather blah about the whole thing.  My life is not where I wanted or expected it to be, and I feel like I have made all the changes I can make that are within my control, but somethings are not within my control.  Realizing what I plan for my life and what actually happens is sometimes hard.  Blah.

~~

I found some awesome school work Noah had been doing:

these two talk about his strong dislike for princess and barbies.

And then his sentences.  He has to write two sentences in his homework journal every night - these two made me laugh.  What a silly boy!

~~

Avery and Noah have enjoyed reading classes at the literacy center.  They are doing great!  Eli enjoys hanging out at the library during their classes and "rolling" down this "hill"

~~

Grandma Christiansen's headstone was finally placed.  It's been too cold to get it put in.  We went up to see it and decided it looked perfect.

~~

Loom bracelets have taken over.  Gage got a loom for his birthday (after I convinced Wade that boys are wearing them at school too).  The boys like to pick out different color combinations, and have me make them since I am faster.  Gage is getting pretty fast too.  Noah and Gage have taken a bunch to their classes for either the class store or class treasure box.

~~

Spring is here - so mornings are cold.  Avery and Eli came up with a good solution - the heater open heater vent and a blanket.

~~

On the weekends I let the kids either stay up late or switch beds.  Gage likes to pick to stay up late and Noah, Avery and Eli like to swap beds.  Avery likes to sleep on Noah's top bunk, Eli picks the floor (with a sleeping bag) or Avery's bed and Noah...he has decided he loves to sleep in Eli's tiny toddler bed!  What a goof.  I made him lay down and show me how he does't fit.  He pretended to be Eli and put his fingers in his mouth.  What a nut.  But they sleep!  

~~

The movie Frozen came out.  I got a really good deal and the kids earned it by doing some jobs.  We have now watched it 5 million times...make that five million and one because they are watching it right now.  The songs have taken over our house.  This morning I woke the boys up for school, Noah came up stairs and went in the bathroom.  Gage came upstairs and I heard him knock on the door and say "do you want to build a snowman"

ha!

I'll save you from a video of my tone deaf Avery Ann singing Let it Go at the top of her lungs.  She things she is a rock star.  It's so funny.  Even Lucy can sing "it go"

~~

And this last weekend I went with my sister and niece to the General Women's Conference!  It was a great meeting.  We had a good time at Zupa's for dinner after the meeting too.  What a great new tradition!

It's been a busy month.  We are ready for spring!

Sunday Photo: 12

 

Today Lucy wore her Grandma Dress.  It once belonged to Avery - pictured below.  

Grandma Christiansen picked out the fabric and pattern and sent it home to Washington with me one summer and then Grandma Bullard made the dress for me (because she is way more talented at sewing than I am). Grandma Bullard also then found the perfect green shirt to wear under it.  I have always loved this little dress and it means even a little bit more to me now that Grandma Christiansen isn't with us anymore. I just know she was smiling down on little Lucy today in her little blue birdy dress.  I miss Wade's mom.  I do.  But I am so thankful for the knowledge I have that we will be with her again someday.  She is doing some awesome work on the other side, I know it.

Yesterday I went with my sister and my niece to the General Women's Conference.  It was an inspiring meeting.  I am looking forward to General Conference this next weekend.  You don't have to be a Mormon to watch these great meetings.  You don't have to be a Mormon to understand the messages.  You should check them out if you want.  Click here.  

Last night I had two favorite parts.  One, watching a video of women from all over the world sing in different languages "I am a child of God."  We then joined in singing the last verse with them.  That is, if you weren't crying your eyes out like me.  And my second favorite was a quote, I probably didn't write it down exactly, but it was along these lines:

 "Alone we are strong, with God we are unstoppable."

Sunday Photo: 11

Today after church we went over to my sister's house for dinner to celebrate the March birthdays we have between our two families.  Kathy is a talented chef and always makes the best dinners, so we knew we would be in for a treat.

Besides dinner, the best treat was my niece, Sylvia was in town!  She is a student at Boise State and drove down today to spend some time this week with her brother, Tyler. Here's the kicker...I haven't seen Sylvia in 6 years!  Don't judge.  I already know, I deserve the worst Aunt award.  But here are my excuses: she's from Tennessee, we obviously don't get there too often.  Plus since the last time we saw her we've moved a couple (6!!) times and had three kids!

So tonight my three littles got to meet their oldest girl cousin for the first time:). (These littles differentiate their cousins...girl cousins versus boy cousins all the time). She's a hardworking student and has a full schedule with classes and working at Panera Bread.  Just today she worked the 5am shift and drove from Boise to Salt Lake. I am tired just thinking about that!  I am glad she took the time to drive down early today so we could see her.  She is a great girl.  It was fun to catch up.  Hopefully we don't go another six years between the next visit!

~~~

On a completely different subject, I was inspired today at church by this quote.  It touched me deeply.  Everyone has struggles, but Hope is never lost.  Believe in miracles.  There are happier days ahead.

~~~

"So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.”  Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead."

2013 October General Conference, Like a Broken Vessel, Sat. Afternoon Session - By  Jeffrey R. Holland

Sunday Photo: 10

Little Lucy May decided to finally walk this week.  Tuesday night everyone was playing before bedtime and she just did it.  4 steps across the room.  Then more. And more!  She's still pretty cautious but she's doing it!  I captured some video today, and had to add a couple clips of her scoot too. 

(and her cute feeding the baby skill she came up with this week too!)

I am sad to see the monkey/bum scoot crawl go.  It was so funny to see.  My baby is growing up.  It is bitter sweet...and just in time to play outside like I wanted!

Watching her walk this week has made me think of patience.  How patient we all have to be.  I couldn't make Lucy walk.  We tried.  And with patience and her own time, she did it.

Saturday we went out to dinner for my birthday at my favorite Chinese restruants, Chin Wah's.  The kids were excellent.  They gobbled up every speck of food on the table.  I am pretty sure there was not a single grain of rice left.  On the way home I was complimenting the kids on how well they behaved. I really was so proud of them.  I told the boys they were very patient waiting for their food.

Noah responded, "I know what patience is!  It's that video with the marshmallows."

 

 

 

 

Sometimes in life we are waiting for things.

Some big. 

Some small. 

I know I am learning patience every single day. 

But I love this message.

 

"God's promises are not always fulfilled as quickly or in the way we might hope. 

The work of patience boils down to this:

keep the commandments,

trust in God our Heavenly Father;

serve Him with meekness and Christlike love;

exercise faith and hope in the Savior; and

never

give

up."


~~
Happy Sunday.

{Cafe Rio Sweet Pork and Creamy Green Dressing}

This is one of Wade's favorite meals.  My version is nothing new, but I am always searching the recipes out each time I want to make them, so I thought I would post them on my blog.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

(originally from Becky Higgins website)

1 large pork roast

2 cups brown sugar

1 can coke (not diet)

1 bottle salsa

Place pork roast in crock pot and cover with coke and brown sugar.  Empty salsa into blender and blend until smooth.  We have a magic bullet and it just takes a couple seconds but makes a huge difference in the end result!

Cook in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours or high 3-5 hours (I think every crock pot is different.) or until pork roast can shred.

Creamy Green Dressing

(originally from Our Best Bites website)

1 cup mayo (not miracle whip)

1 package of ranch dressing seasoning

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup green salsa

1/2 cup milk

2 garlic cloves chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Wade doesn't exactly measure the cilantro -he adds a "bunch" Also he adds more or less green salsa or ranch dressing mix depending on what taste he wants.  He starts with half a dressing mix and then adds from there.  Refrigerate dressing for a couple hours.  We usually make the dressing at the same time we put the pork in the crock pot.  It will get nice and creamy the longer it refrigerates.

Cilantro Lime Rice

When we make Cafe Rio Pork we also cook cilantro lime rice.  Cook your rice as you normally would but use chicken broth instead of water and thrown in a little lime juice and chopped cilantro.

To assemble use your favorite burrito toppings, some of ours include:

Warm tortillas, black beans, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green salsa, cheese, sour cream, avocado, rice, sweet pork and top with creamy dressing.

I like to make mine "open face" so it's more just a pork salad on top of the warmed tortilla.  I layer tortillas, lettuce, rice, pork, beans, cheese, avocado, and dressing.

Enjoy!

Sunday Photo: 9

Today after church we decided to enjoy the spring weather and the lighter hours by heading to Neptune Park in Saratoga Springs.  It's by far our kids most favorite park.  It has such creative toys...and the pyramid.  They love the pyramid.  I have yet to get any higher than the first level, without freaking out.  Wade says our next date night will have to be at Neptune Park so he can teach me to get over my fears and climb the pyramid.  Ha! (Someone remind me to wear a cute skirt or dress on our next date so I don't have to climb the darn thing!!)

Lucy had a good time people and dog watching.  She is almost walking!  She can stand up anytime anywhere on her own.  She can balance and take one or two steps.  She loves to stand up in the middle of a room and dance.  Someday soon this girl is going to move!

Gage pushed Eli and Avery on the bouncy swing.  Eli gave the scripture in primary today.  I asked him if he was nervous to talk in front of everyone in the microphone.  He said nope.  He did a great job.  He wrote his own name this week for the first time!  He usually just writes a big E, with lots of added "legs".  But yesterday he decided to add the L and I too!  

Avery. She is such a helper lately.  She loves to set the table.  Yesterday we were eating buffet style and I told her she didn't have to do it.  She was so disappointed.  She kept asking she could just set the table anyway.  I should have just let her.  As you can gather from picture, she picks her own creative outfits.  It drives Wade batty I let her wear them..but she does it herself and I am not getting in her way!

Noah can spin so fast on these crazy spinners!  It makes me sick just to watch him spin sometimes!  He is obsessed with these little Lego Mixels. They are on tv and in the Lego magazine the boys get (it's free and awesome if you have Lego lovers!!).  He used his own money and bought a mixel yesterday.  (They are only $4). He then lost one of the eyeballs two separate times in the van.  Geez!  Why are we taking the mixel in the van?!!  At least the second time prompted me to take the seats out and give the van a good much needed vacuum and cleaning.

Gage can climb to the top of the pyramid so fast!  Like I can't even turn around and he is up there!  That's him 30ft in the air!! He had a rough week last week, but we're hoping this one is better.  He is just a worrier.  Last night he said he couldn't sleep because he was worried he wouldn't get enough sleep!  Oh, poor kid.    We're working on relaxing and not being to anxious about everything.  He's a good kid.  I think spring weather and getting outside and running around will help a ton.

~~~

Schools out tomorrow for a teacher prep day.  We are looking forward to a good week!  (I turn 34 this Saturday. I totally thought I was turning 33 this year until a friend reminded me, it's just a number, right?!)

Happy Sunday!

February

February is always a month packed full.  Here are some of the highlights, pictures from my phone and instagram.

~Wade turned 38.  We celebrated by doing what he wanted to do - nothing!  We did go out to eat at his favorite Mexican restaurant.  And he smiled in the picture!  The kids got him some candy which he didn't share with anyone.

~Our van got crunched in the parking lot at the grocery store.  Just our luck, right?  A guy came up to me in the produce section of the store and asked if I drove the red van.  I totally thought I had left a door open or something - because I've done that before!  But then he told me that he hit the gas instead of the break and hit us.  Lovely.  At least he was honest and came in the store to find me. To add to the fun, he was driving his friends truck, so the insurance has been a mess.  It's still drive-able, but we do want it fixed.  Someday.  When the insurance ever calls us back.  Wade calls them all the time, every day.

~Avery turned 5!

(she got her own blog post)

~The kids got to hold a real Olympic Torch at the literacy center this month when they did a special class on the Olympics.

~My triplet nephews got genetically tested and are truly identical triplets!  Crazy stuff.  It wasn't my guess, but we are glad no one was left out.  They really are one in a million!  My sister threw a reveal party and they opened up presents to see who's matched.  All 3 ties matched.  What a cute idea!

~Lucy wishes she could go outside, all the time.  Winter is rough and we are ready for spring.

~ I got out a bin of girl clothes to see if they would fit Lucy.  Eli found out they fit him.  What a good blackmail picture, right?

~ We are trying anything to get Lucy to walk before it turns really nice outside.  I don't want her scooting around on her bum in the dirt!  This girl is 16 months old and needs to walk!

~Avery moved up in her preschool class at the literacy center to a reading class in the afternoon.  Which is great news!  But it also means she is home in the morning when she would regularly be at preschool.  We've had a good time going through old workbooks doing some activities.

Eli loves to cut and glue, he isn't as specific as the directions, but he sure has a great time.

~Gage had his elementary band concert.  It was 15 minutes long.  And it was fantastic.  It really was.  Considering that most of these kids didn't know how to make their instrument make noise a a few months ago, their songs sounded like songs and sounded pretty good.  Gage is one of the youngest ones.   It has been a challenge for him to get his homework done around scouts and band, but he likes to go so he has worked hard.

 (He is in the back row behind the girl in the purple)

Gage and his cousin Charlotte.

~The night of the band concert we also had the blue and gold banquet.  It was a very busy day.

~Grandma's birthday was the 28. We took her some birthday wishes balloons and let them go. Eli was pretty excited about the idea until he realized his balloon was really not ever coming back.

~Lucy discovered toilet paper.

~And she fell asleep in her high chair.

~We're starting to have some warmer days so we went to the "pyramid park" one afternoon after school.

~We got some new to us car track from Aunt Pam.  Eli has been having a blast with these!

~Lucy learned to fold her arms for prayers!  I love this so much.  She will fold them  for one second and then start to clap for herself.  She is growing up!

  

~Eli earned some (more) candy and his blankets back for going potty.  This boy and his potty training.  ugh.  He know exactly how to do it, but he will just wait and wait and wait and then ask for a diaper to go #2 in.  The other kids have been easier, but maybe he will get it before kindergarten.

~And last but not least, we got report cards yesterday!  Both boys improved so we took them for ice cream last night.

These boys are so completely different in their learning.  Gage always gets 4's (a's) in his behavior. He is great at following instructions and listening.  He is such a hard worker and he didn't get all 4's in the other subjects but he works so hard and he did improve.  He is very diligent at getting all his homework done.  He knows it is his responsibility and is trying so hard.  Gage has really enjoyed math this term.  It clicks in his brain and he really likes doing his math homework.  It comes easy to him!

Noah on the other hand, he can get straight 4's without much effort.  Reading, math, it all just comes easier to him.  But behavior...he gets some 3's thrown in that. He is a talker and a goof ball and loves to get attention.  We have to remind him to sit, listen and stop goofing off!  This term his reading has really taken off.  I accredit a lot of this to his reading classes at the literacy center.  He says they are "boring" but his reading level went from below grade level to where he should be at the end of the year!

The both improved though in areas they wanted to improve in...And that is what counts to me.  Trying hard and doing their best deserves ice cream anyday in my book!

~~