Memorial Day week long celebration

During the week of Memorial day I felt better than I had felt in a long time.  So what did I do as soon as I got my energy back?!  Well, for starters I took one day of the week and worked on one room at a time.  I cleaned out our winter wardrobe, boxed them up and put them in the shed.  I washed walls, doors, and cleaned bathrooms like never before.  These are chores that my kids had been doing for months, but truth be told my hand was truly needed.  I cleaned out closets, drawers, and organized my kids' school work.  And I did some blogging; it feels good to be caught up with family's record keeping.  I was grateful to Heavenly Father for giving me some of my energy back, so I could take care of my family, and the house before my mom gets here, and before the kids get out of school.

I also felt such great love and gratitude for my sweet Charlton.  When he didn't have preschool, he would stay home with me, and instead of complaining for lack of my attention, he would silently follow me in each room I was working and would find something to play on his own.  It truly made my job so much easier.

On Friday before Memorial Day weekend, Charlton had his last day at Pre-K.  That night, Mrs. Perona's all of four classes had prepared a program where they each shared something they had learned and sang a bunch of songs that they had sung during various months of the year. Charlton's favorite part was the time when he got his diploma;  he kept telling me afterwards that he was ready to start kindergarten right away because he already graduated from Pre-K.  In the end of the program, a friend of ours had compiled interviews from each child about their thoughts of Mrs. Perona.  It was very touching, hearing funny and sweet things come out of the mouths of babes.

Charlton has grown so much this year. He has loved his teacher, his classmates, and especially his best friend William.  He is so ready for Kindergarten, and although he is the youngest, he knows how to make his voice heard.  He loves to color and cut, just started writing phonetically, loves to do homework ( various work books), and is so ready to read.  Hopefully this summer, he and I will be working on his reading book a bit more systematically; he's halfway done.  However, my favorite part of Charlton is the fact that he has matured so much as an individual.  I love it that he can already sense and understand situations and people.  This is a funny age where they are so concentrated on themselves they are at time oblivious to what's going on around them.  Charlton has his moments with this, but I think because he observes how his older siblings work together and think of others, it has made him way more thoughtful than his age allows.  I'm grateful for that.  We live in an age where thoughtfulness and kindness has to be scheduled, but if I want one thing for my kids to adopt from their heritage is charity for others: kindness, thoughtfulness, love, giving, understanding, accepting, service, forgiveness, good manners.  My other three have taught each other by example; there isn't a day that goes by when I don't receive some kind of loving service from my children.  I hope Charlton learns these lessons from his parents and siblings as he grows up and becomes a very thoughtful and kind young man.  He's already on his way.  I'm so proud of him.

This past Saturday, after sleeping in and having a delicious breakfast prepared from my husband, we joined forces in cleaning up the house and getting it ready for the Sabbath.  After which, the kids and I headed out to the pool and stayed there till dinner time.  The weather was perfect, I felt good, the kids had friends and water guns to play with, and my friend, Christina, came and chatted with me.  I swam 16 laps, sun bathed, played with Charlton, read, and took a nap.  Best Saturday I had had in a while!

That night, a friend of ours organized a movie and popcorn in their backyard inviting a bunch of us and kids.  I was exhausted from swimming, but it was fun seeing all the kids getting excited about watching a movie together.  Gillian kept giving me hard time for wanting a picture with all of the kids, so I'm putting a picture of her making faces in case it will help her not to do that again.

We had planned nothing for Memorial Day, thinking that I didn't feel well and wouldn't have enough energy to throw a party.  Well, I did have energy, and the lack of plans didn't stop us from having fun as a family.  We headed out to the pool again, played hard, had Elijah join us for a picnic dinner, and then came back to a clean home.  Not very eventful at all, but positively relaxing.  I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends.

Splendid May

"The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May."
-  Edwin Way Teale

 We started this beautiful and tender month with a bang.  Both of my boys won 1st and 2nd prize (Jefferson and James respectively) in their pack's Pinewood Derby.  I wasn't able to attend, but from the comments I heard they made a name for themselves. My friends astonishingly said that my boys kept winning every race, and the only time one of them lost was when they raced each other in the end, and even then the difference of time and distance was very minute.  I was proud of both of them for coming up with their own model shape, for sanding those cars for days, for painting them, and taking care of the details all by themselves.  When a few friends asked what was my secret of having these boys be excellent in all they do, I just said that I demand the best effort, and both Elijah and I work hard alongside each of them to accomplish their best.  No magic, just time, energy, hard work, and encouragement.  I've noticed these past months when I haven't had the energy to give it all as a mother, they haven't given all as kids either.  Thank goodness, I've got Elijah who, as busy as he has been, has tried his hardest to compensate for my part.  Raising good children requires work from both parents, because they each play a different role in those kids' growth.

The reason I wasn't able to attend my kids' Pinewood Derby race was that I was helping out with a baby shower for our friend, Hillary.  And good thing we threw her baby shower when we did, because she gave birth to a beautiful boy just a few days later.  Next in line, my blond friend Tara, who also is expecting a boy.  So far from all the 9 ladies expecting these next months, I'm the only one expecting a GIRL!

All my kids are very happy to have a little sister, but Gillian is way more excited.  She keeps talking to the baby in my tummy, so, according to Gillian, when the baby comes out she will recognize Gillian's voice and love her forever! 20 weeks and counting.

The kids finished with their last California piano evaluation, the National Guild of Musicians.  They had to memorize 7-10 pieces, play them beyond well, paying special attention to rhythm, notes, dynamics, etc.  When Gillian, who was last, came out all three kids yelled: "Yes, no more mom saying 'dynamics, children, dynamics!"  The judges were pleased with their work, and I was glad it was just over.  Now, one more recital for the school year, and we will welcome summer happily!

Charlton also had his own graduation to celebrate.  He finished his two month swimming session with flying colors.  He loved swimming, playing with his friends, and diving into the water.  While he swam, I would socialize with my friends always wrapped in a towel because for some reason where we sat was always windy.  On the last day, Gillian begged to take a picture of me in my usual attire - glasses for sunshine and towel for the cool breeze.  Don't even try to understand the temperature fluctuations of a pregnant woman's body.

I also finished teaching art for this school year by closing with Charlton's favorite artist, Monet.  I even brought him with me, and sure enough he was the best and most attentive student there.  James's teacher rewarded him with a donut, because he was unbelievably good.  The kids painted with watercolor, tempera, and acrylic.  They used sponges, paint brushes, and I taught them to paint like the impressionists with several colors at the same time without mixing them, just dipping their brush into one color at a time and then painting.  It was the hardest project in the whole year, but their Monet gardens were beautiful.

Charlton was also invited in Mrs. Pike's annual Oregon Trail field trip.  I'm the school photographer, and James's teacher really wanted me to record these activity, but she didn't want me to be worried about babysitters for Charlton, so she invited him along.  Plus, she loves this adorable child of mine.

The field trip once again was amazing, but what made this particular time even more enjoyable was the brotherly love I kept seeing from my two boys.  They were always together, holding hands, or arms around each other, or helping one another.  I just about died seeing them so close and happy, and what a great example to the other kids. 

The various activities in this beautiful experience included walking and stopping on different parts of the Trail, and learning about those pioneers, trading with Indians, being ambushed by other Indians, burying and remembering the loved ones, learning to cook, clean, wash, make handy things, play pioneer games, and their favorite, digging for gold - we are after all in California!  My favorite, however, is always the Virginia Reel dance with my beautiful blondie leading the way.  What fun!

And here I thought May was going to be slow and lackadaisical, but don't let sweet aromas of the flowers, and bluest sky deceive you.  As Emerson says: ""What potent blood hath modest May."