September
September! It's fall....but kind of not (here). But we have fun putting up fall decorations around the house. It makes it feel more like "the season". We like it! Daxton, Sierra, and Colton put together this little fall display in our hallway. I love it!
You know what else I like? Tender moments between my kids...it just does my heart good, every time, even if it happens often. I love it.
Janson, our violinist, has been wanting to learn a few basics on the piano. And he's doing really well. He's just enjoying it--and apparently, so are his fans! :)
Ryah and Sierra, just sitting together, singing out of the hymn book...so sweet!
On Labor Day we took a family bike ride.
Sierra was ready!
There were two different paths...we actually took the wrong one, the harder one. But hey, we're up for a challenge! Sierra was the tough one, hanging in there with a MUCH harder ride than anticipated. There were parts that were really steep and parts that were SUPER rocky. It was much more rough. But, she did it! So proud of her!
We even came across a rattlesnake in the middle of the trail! It had been right in the middle of the trail, and other people were stopped, waiting for the angry snake to move. It didn't seem like it was going to budge, but eventually it went into the brush on the side, and we scooted on by! Yikes!
The day after Labor Day, we "officially" started school! Janson and Ryah had been doing their online classes for a couple of weeks already, but this was our official start, as the younger three all began.
Sierra is in 1st grade this year! Where does the time go? My baby...
It's funny because if she was in public school they might suggest she just be starting kindergarten, because of her September birthday. But, she is SUCH a 1st grader. (Truth be told, she does well above that in her learning and school work). She is excited to do anything she can with the boys just older than her.
She is a delight!
Daxton is in 5th grade. He has grown a lot and it almost seems surreal that he's at this point. There are a couple of subjects (math and language arts) that he and Colton are learning together, and it's nice for them to have a buddy. Janson and Ryah always enjoyed that. Daxton loves to help prep the science projects!
It's going to be a good year!
Colton is in 7th grade. Being a late September birthday, I've told him that this year, he can decide if he wants to be "in" 6th or 7th grade. Public school wise, he would be in 6th, but he could do either. So, he's deciding. For now, he wants to go ahead with "7th grade", and see how the year goes. In any event, with homeschooling, we are just continuing to learn and do our best! He's doing GREAT! He is the "leader" now, with the younger ones, as Janson and Ryah have their independent classes. He does very well! He's even been leading out, with Daxton, and they have taken care of things when I've had to go to some appointments recently (for health stuff). They are the best!
Along with the girls, he had his birthday this month--he has grown so much!
Ryah is in 9th!! Again, with another September birthday....public school wise, she would be in 8th grade, but she was always ready, so we went ahead and she's in 9th this year. She has grown SO much in the last year. I look at pictures of her on our RV trip, and she just looks so much older now. She is adjusting to having the high school courses, and is doing well. She loves having Janson there as a help and a resource. They have a great relationship.
Ryah is doing well--she is sensitive and thoughtful, and is such a wonderful young woman.
Janson is in 10th grade!! AHH! TWO high schoolers! He has a full load, and is doing well. He is a bright guy, always wanting to do his best. He really puts a lot into his work. I really do love that he and Ryah are such good friends....all of them are. What a blessing!
Janson also received his patriarchal blessing this month, on September 10th. It was such a special and choice experience. He has a great work to do, and I'm excited for him. I'm grateful for his priorities and focus. He is awesome.
Here's the lineup: 10th, 9th, 7th, 5th, 1st!
(I love this picture--Daxton's paper flipped up, right over his face....everyone got a kick out of it!)
Man, I love this crew!
I think I always say that! Ha ha. But it's true! I'm blessed to get to be their mom, AND to get to homeschool them! I love all our time together.
A couple of school day-pics....
I love how she loves to have "lessons with Mom", like the older kids.
And this guy...he's the best.
He got them all following his beat that he would make up. Good memory and listening practice!
Sierra had her birthday first! SIX YEARS OLD. Wow.
She's my baby...how did we get here so fast?!? Good thing we love this stage, too! Whatever stage these kids are at, I love it! She is a delightful 6 year old. She is the perfect "cherry on top" to our family.
(In her "Spiderman-stance"!) :)
The kids delivered with awesome decorations--she loved it.
Giving hugs as we all wished her a happy birthday (Janson is getting his hug here)--
Her request was pancakes and bacon for breakfast ("Holli's Pancakes"--a recipe I got from my sister). :)
Her "morning gift" was a "Sierra shirt" for her--the Sierra mountains. She loves it! It is a new favorite.
We had our awesome "We love Sierra" poster, and everyone wrote things they love about Sierra. I love doing this--it is a sweet, new tradition.
I also love that Colton drew a picture of Sierra. He is getting REALLY good, and I love that he uses his talent for gifts to others.
She was so excited to get a Star Wars lego set--she adores Daxton, and doing anything and everything with him, and he worked with her on it. She was in heaven!
She also got Harry Potter pajamas from Grandma. She was thrilled.
That day, on her birthday, she was wearing her Sierras shirt, and I was wearing my Lake Tahoe shirt (which is in the Sierra mountains)--she wanted to take a picture of our "matching"!
Sierra wanted Chicken Divan for dinner--her favorite! And she chose the family movie that night--Lady & the Tramp. We love our Sierra!
Her birthday dessert she chose was a brownie-berry trifle. And she wanted it to be "decorated" with the Raya doll....she we complied. :)
She had a very happy birthday, and we had fun celebrating her.
Three days later, we got to celebrate another sweet girl in our family.
Ryah-Roo!
(Janson greeting her that morning--love them).
Ryah requested biscuits and gravy for her special breakfast.
She's FOURTEEN!! The years fly....what can I say?
Colton's drawing of Ryah--
Ryah has grown so much this last year. Even when I look at pictures of her from our RV trip last year, I realize how much she has grown and changed in just that time. She is a wonderful young woman. I'm so proud of the woman she is becoming, her heart is so good!
We love Ryah!.....
She got some new fun shirts and music note earrings, and a Disney duet piano book...
She is so much fun and so full of life!
Her birthday dessert was "Pudding Heaven" (or "the pudding dessert").
Such a great birthday! And SUCH a great girl!
Some more school pics...
Sierra likes to write sweet notes to me when it's her "lesson time". Sweet girl!
Her thinking over her answer (deep in thought)--
One Saturday, we drove up to the Sedona area, to Slide Rock Park. I had read online about some great apple picking there. I called ahead of time, to get details and when it would be open. It would have been nice if they had informed me, at that time, about the crowds they get on Saturdays. It was so packed, they were only letting one car in at a time, when one car would leave...and the parking lot was full and the wait to get in was over an hour. Lame. I was supremely disappointed.
Everyone was good sports, though! We stopped at some picnic tables, to have the lunch we brought, and enjoyed the cooler temperatures and pleasant scenery. It was nice!
We stopped by a road stand and bought some freshly picked apples...next best thing. They were yummy.
Some days you would think we were still traveling in an RV, scrunched together...
I love that these kids are best friends and love to be close!
I came out of my room one morning, and found Janson playfully talking with Sierra, who was playing with her Woody doll. It was too cute.
(Janson had just gotten back from a run. He is still training hard for his half marathon--it's coming up!)
Colton's birthday arrived and we were busy decorating that morning for him. While Jonnie was on work calls, he was blowing up balloons for the decorations. Love this picture!
Janson created a "web" design with the streamers, as Colton is a big fan of Spiderman right now.
Colton is TWELVE!! His breakfast request was Dutch Babies, bacon, and fruit. His dinner request was herbed chicken legs and mashed potatoes and salad. The boy has good taste!
Grandma sent him a Spiderman shirt--his current favorite superhero. He is a good looking kid! :)
The "We Love Colton" poster--love it!!
Daxton and Sierra created fun birthday activities that afternoon, complete with water balloon fun! Of course, they didn't just do the usual small water balloons...they filled the BIG balloons with water. It was pretty exciting!
When the balloons popped, it was much more exciting and eventful, than with the small balloons.
They got pretty wet (thus, no shirts)--and had a blast!
We also all went down to the park, and played basketball, as a family. That's Colton's favorite sport. We played 3 on 3 (Me, Colton, Janson against Jonnie, Ryah, Daxton)--and Sierra cheered us on! :) It was a really fun game.
That night, Colton chose the movie for family movie night and we had his requested dessert--Root Beer Floats! The boy knows how to party. :)
Fun September birthdays!!
Sierra has decided she wants to learn the violin. We have the 3 piano players, and with Sierra's choice, Janson now has a violin buddy in the family! :). She is very excited. We got out Janson's old 1/2 size violin out and checked to see if it will be the right size for her. Looking good!
General Conference is always the first weekend in October, but this year....October 1st is a Sunday, so the Saturday sessions were on September 30th. So...I'm going to go ahead and post about General Conference in our September post (I know, I'm such a rebel!).
I love General Conference. And I love that my children love it, too. We have our fun traditions--gingerbread breakfast, snacks through the sessions, and the poster we put up where we can all write favorite parts and quotes of the talks from conference....but I just love the Spirit that we feel, and being together, and sharing our thoughts and feelings.
While listening, Colton was working on this drawing of Jesus...I love his artwork!
Also! On Friday and Saturday night, Colton had his first basketball games of the season. He is playing on a YMCA team with a couple of friends, with one of the dads coaching. Jonnie has been going and helping to coach, and I'm glad he's there--he gives a positive influence and I'm glad Colton has him there. The first night was rough, but the second night they did a lot better! Colton, especially, stepped up! I was really proud of him. His defense was strong, his passing and dribbling were good, and he worked HARD and he took some shots, and even made some points! Well done! Learning and growing...
We were all there to cheer him on. Daxton was cracking me up with his "sit back and chill".
Things have gotten a little more busy recently, but we are holding onto our together time and supporting each other, and I love that. I sure love this family of mine.
