Hey, good lookin' - what ya got cookin'? - Hank Williams

School is going full force, and the kids are loving it.  Gillian is loving middle school.  She is making new friends, and spending time with church friends.  She comes tired, but happy everyday.  What a blessing that is!  The two older boys are excited to have new teachers, but glad to have the same friends in their classes.  They are growing so fast, and I'm loving every minute of their childhood.

Charlton also started school this month.  He is attending a three-day, three-hour preschool, or as he would correct you, Pre-k.  He is too old for preschool.  He is loving his teacher and his best friends William and Mckinley.  Just the other day, he told us that he was going to learn about apples and make his own apple pie.  When he got back from preschool, we asked him if he had made it and he said: " Of course, I made it.  My teacher helped me peel and cut the apples, and roll the crust.  But I made it all by myself, and then I ate it all by myself."  My sweet, adorable child.

Charlton makes me happy each and every moment.  Every day he has a contagious smile, and an "I love you" on the tip of his tongue ceaselessly.  He also makes me laugh with his innocent and funny remarks.  A couple of weeks ago, at church, during the partaking of the sacrament, Charlton was sitting on Elijah's lap.  He kept making signs at Jefferson as Jefferson was partaking of the water.  Charlton finally told Elijah that he wanted Jefferson to put the cup back in the middle section of the sacrament tray, because that's where he had put his.  When Jefferson did precisely that, Charlton told Elijah: "Oh, good.  Jefferson and I are bros, and now our cups are bros too!"

The other day, out of nowhere, Charlton told Elijah that he was going to wear Elijah's clothes when he grew up.  Elijah replied that he would need those for himself.  Charlton's response was matter-of-fact: "Oh, you won't need those.  You'll be dead by then."  To continue that story, the next morning as I was giving him a love and a kiss, he said to me: " Don't worry mom.  If your husband dies, you can always marry me.  I love you a lot, and I have never been married."

As you all know Charlton has some friends who love and have seen a lot of superhero movies.  Because of them he started to love superhero stuff as well.  So to have him be informed of the things that he thinks he likes, I checked out some books about various superheroes, as well as allowed him to watch some old cartoons of Superman and Batman.  I've created a monster.  Everywhere he goes, he sees superheroes.  In the middle of his primary class, he stopped the lesson by jumping from his chair to the wall telling his teacher not to worry, Superman was going to help them from the bad guys.  This past week, also at church, he needed to go to the bathroom.  When he came out of the bathroom, he asked me if I could help me pull his pants up.  As I was about to help him with that, he said: " Mom, look.  Without my pants, I look like Wonder Woman; she wears only underwear."  And then, he proceed to pretend throw her lasso, as well as Spiderman's web (his signature move.)

Charlton is very independent and thoughtful.  He has started making his own breakfast, plays on his own while I clean or cook, and comes up with such kind ideas that make my heart burst.  Last week, after conversing with Mami Lili on Skype, he told me that he misses her a lot, and he was sure she missed him a lot too.  So, he decided he was going to mail her a letter telling her how much he loved her.  After coloring a picture, he tried to write "I love you" and then put it in an envelope.  He was insistent that we mail it right away, and that's what we did.

 

Besides going to school and making me laugh, he has loved playing with his siblings and friends.  The weather has been warm here, so whenever we had a chance we would attend the pool.  Charlton has loved splashing with his brothers, and cruising with his sister, and I've loved talking to my good friends.

On Saturdays, after chores and practice for the older kids (soccer, voice, piano,) Charlton joins his siblings at the table playing playdoh for hours.  These kids are so creative and kind with each other that it makes it so much easier for me to accomplish my to-do list.  I count the harmony that my kids share with each other one of the greatest blessings in my life.

Another thing that Charlton has been into a lot these past few weeks is legos.  My older kids build with legos every free moment they have, but Charlton wasn't into them as much before.  He would sit and color, or read.  However, recently he has joined his brothers in quiet play on Sunday afternoons while their mom takes her weekly winter's nap.  He still likes building on his own pace, and what I love the best is how his brothers take turns helping him whenever he needs some.

I've continued to have field trip time with Charlton.  Sometimes we visit the library (he takes his girlfriends there,) sometimes we hike through the golden hills of California, sometimes we have play dates at home, and sometimes we visit the Zoo.  In whatever we do, Charlton and I are inseparable and happy.  At times I'll zone out while at the library, but Charlton is quick to bring a book to me to read to him or a puzzle to make with him.  Happy days!

At the zoo, this time I told the boys (Charlton and William, his best friend) that we were going to go on a book hunt.  Every time we saw an animal, they had to come up with the title of the book that animal was part of.  Here are some fun ones that Charlton and I found:

Franklin the Turtle by Paulette Bourgeois

Frog and toad by Arnold Lobel

Verdi by Janell Cannon

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Three Billy Goats Gruff

There is a hummingbird in my backyard by Gary Bogue

And here are a few other pictures that we love, but couldn't find a book about them:

New animal at the Oakland Zoo.  I don't remember his name, but a unique specie that was related to racoons.

Charlton said of this picture: Just like you and me, mom, walking together.

Pretending to be Franklin

I'm glad he is still little.  Mine forever.

James has enjoyed soccer this season.  He has practice once a week, and a game on Saturday.  He loves being part of a team, and getting to know other boys.  Soccer suits him; he reminds me of my childhood British players.

Last week, James worked hard in earning a prize with his reading.  Last Saturday, Jefferson and James had been invited to a water-theme birthday party, and both of them were dying to have a Super Soaker for the occasion.  They asked me of ways they could earn those guns, and I took advantage of the opportunity presented and assigned them two books for each to finish by the end of the week.  James was to read The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia), and Jefferson was to finish The Mysterious Benedict Society.  On Wednesday morning I woke to find James snuggling in the recliner reading his book.  He had been up since 5, gotten ready for school, and then sat on the chair trying to finish his book.  Jefferson had finished his the night before, and James wanted to go shop with him.  Needless to say they both got their super soakers, and I was pleased with their hard work and dedication.  And yes, they had to pass my quiz before they got their guns :)

The other day, Jefferson received a surprise from his 3rd grade teacher.  In the end of the year, every school in the state of California, grade 2nd-5th, take an end-of-the-year test, called Star Test.  Jefferson received 100% on that test in math, 98 % in Science, and 96% in English.  His teacher was extremely happy for his achievement, especially in math where he basically made no mistakes.  She gave him a remote control helicopter to celebrate his achievements.  James, who is in 2nd grade this year, is looking forward to getting all 100% so he too can get an awesome gift like Jefferson.  More power to all of them.

Yesterday morning, as I was tidying up my house, I found this list on Jefferson's desk.  It is his tentative reading list for 2013-2014 school year.  The sweetest part of it is the fact that I never encourage or told him to do such a thing.  I guess all those years of reading to them, and drilling it in their minds that reading classics will make you a better person, are finally paying off.  I'm looking forward to discussing all those books with Jefferson.  I'll let you know of the progress.

Since we've been so busy with school and extracurricular activities, we haven't been doing a lot of field trips as a whole family.  With Elijah working all day, and serving in the church and at the temple, the one thing he really wants to do is spend time at home with the family - totally understandable.  However, this Monday for FHE, we visited Temple Visitor Center, and took the kids to Liz Lemon Swindle's exhibit Witness of Christ.  Sister Swindle has a way of bringing the Spirit through her art.  Every painting had a different emotion portrayed in them; they brought tears to my eyes.  It is a blessing to have the Savior in our lives, and to feel of his love.  I'm grateful for my testimony that keeps me going even when I fall.  Jesus is my rock and my salvation.