Nov. 7, 2009 - Jadon's Baby Shower

Have I mentioned before how wonderful our church is??     They were so gracious in planning and hosting a baby shower for us.  It was a wonderful afternoon of food, fun and fellowship.  My friend Nikki did most of the planning  and organizing and it was beautiful.  We had great food, played silly games and Jay and I were overwhelmed with all the gifts and gift cards.  

Amber, Nikki and Becky making sure everything went smoothly (Thank you ladies!)

Sharron coordinated all the games.  When someone won and got a prize I also got a prize! 

The two grandma's trying to figure out what's in the diaper!  

In this game the one partner had to use only his/her mouth to hold the spoon and feed the baby food to the other partner.

Here are some pictures of some of the guests.  They are some of the most wonderful women I know!!!!

Mom, Tasha, Jadon and Me! 

The gifts......

We received blankets, handmade quilts, diapers, wipes, clothing of all types, a car seat and even a new big girl car seat for Alexa and numerous gift cards to Target.  WOW!

The girls loved helping me open the gifts!

Thank You Everyone!!!!!!!!

Oct. 16, 2009 - Getting Ready for Battle of the Bands

Our church is getting ready to host it's first Battle of the Bands "A Hymnal Transformation"  It is going to be awesome.  This outreach event will be the biggest our church has ever done and it has kept Jay extremely busy.  They have built a stage and 7 bands have signed up to compete.  They need to take a hymnal, pick a song and transform it.  They can also perform up to 3 more songs and they will be judged on the hymn and then audience favorite.

It will be on Saturday and a lot of the stuff like lights and generators and what not were delivered on Friday so Jay wanted to stay the night at the church because he was going to be working late and just to make sure everything was okay.  A friend brought over a motor home and I thought it would be fun for us all to camp out!    So we grabbed a suitcase, our fire pit, marshmallows and graham crackers and microwave breakfasts (all the must haves LOL).  It was a lot of fun!  The kids had a blast and we got to spend some more time with Jay.  In the morning we had breakfast and I took the kids back home to shower and nap before the big night.

What a Fun Night!!!

Aug. 11, 2009 - Sick Kids

Well this week is going to get us behind some.  Sunday, Anastasia and Joshua both got sick.  Joshua got pink eye and Anastasia a sore throat.  So Monday morning first thing I called our new pediatrician. 

Side note we have a new ped not because we moved but because our old pediatrician, after working with us for over 11 year and her being okay with us doing delayed vaccines or some not at all,  decided to send out a letter to all patients like us saying she could no longer work with us and we needed to immunize or find another practice.  Well I am still on the email list and lo and behold she announced in a later  email newsletter how she was so excited her practice just won an award for having every patient fully immunized!!  Pretty easy to do if you cut out all the other patients.  Hmmmm  she must be getting funding somewhere....don't get me started.  Now she is sending out URGENT letters for parents to hurry and sign their kids up to be part of a clinical trial for the swine flu vaccine.  NO THANK YOU my kids are not going to be guinea pigs!!

So I digress.  We called our new ped.  who we have never met yet we were just assigned to by insurance and they aren't seeing new patients till mid September???????  So I have a one kid with pink eye and another with possible strep  when in September can they get us in?  She said we would have to go to urgent care or the ER.  Is this a taste of what the new Obama Health Care plan will be like?  Pretty scary.  So I am supposed to wait till they are all better and then drag all my healthy kids into a doctor's office to be seen and told that they are healthy because they probably won't be after waiting in the waiting room with all the sick ones.

Okay so I am sure by now you can tell what kind of days I have had the last couple of days.  So Monday morning after talking to the dr.  Jay takes Joshua and Anastasia to the urgent care.  He didn't want me going and sitting there being pregnant and all.  (Thanks Honey!)  He left around 8:30 and didn't get home till almost 1:00.  Joshua has pink eye in both eyes and a really bad ear infection.  The poor kid has such a high pain tolerance and never complained about his ear but when they stuck the thing into look and it beeped it agitatated it really bad and he started crying.  Anastasia's quick strep test came back negative but her throat has really been hurting for two days now and she has been running a fever off and on.  I think she is on the mend now.  By Monday night Joshua's eyes were looking much better and he was doing fine except I forgot how he reacts to medicine.  Exactly the opposite of what the bottles warn you about.  He gets hyper and onery and has driven me crazy the last two days till I finally figured out it was the medicine (he was taking motrin for the pain which was causing this mood swing) and he is on anti biotics.  So he didn't need any motrin today and hopefully by tomorrow he will be back to himself!!

Well I have rambled enough about our two fun days!  LOL  We are planing on getting back to schooling tomorrow so please pray everyone is well.  The other three girls have managed to stay well I would like to keep it that way!

Jul. 30, 2009 - The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad

A couple of weeks ago Jay started reading to the kids each night before bed.  We all gather in our room and they each pick a quiet spot to lay with their blanket and pillow.  Jay reads one or two chapters a night.  This has been a great thing for us o share.  But let me say it didn't start out this way, especially with a two year old.  Tasha is in bed before we begin.  The first couple of nights was hard and we were almost ready to give up but now they are so into it and love hearing the story (and all of daddy's different voices)  Then after the reading we each take turns praying together and that has been awesome. 

The first two stories we read were from Fireside Readings for families.  Now we have been reading "The famous Bedtime story books" by Thornton W. Burgess.  We first read The Adventures of Buster Bear and now we have just started The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad.  These books were Jay's mom's and Jay's grandma used to read them to him.

One night after reading Jay went outside to spray some bug spray (we have had a terrible time with crickets) before he started spraying he looked down and low and behold there was "Old Mr. Toad"  Jay called me out then I called the kids out of bed to come see him.  It was a surprise we haven't seen any toads in a long time.  We got some pictures before we let him hop off.

Jul. 29, 2009 - The Count Down is On...

The countdown is on,  not for the baby yet but for Disneyland.  You can see I put a ticker at the top of my blog.  We are all getting so excited.  I am not sure who more Jay and I or the kids.  As everyone is gearing up for school to start back and several schools have already started around here we are gearing up for the "happiest place on earth".  The kids have been diligently doing school 3 days a week this summer and it has worked out really well.  I think we might keep this scheudle even when not expecting a baby.  It is so hot here during the summer and this way we are going to take the month of December off to enjoy Christmas activities and the outdoors.

So anyways the picture above is of the chain they made to count down the days till we leave.  It is hard to see on the white wall but the chain drapes down both sides.  We used to go quite often to Disneyland but now we haven't been in four years.  Anastasia remembers but the others don't.  They keep asking if it is better than Chuckie Cheese or Amazing Jakes.  LOL

We are going for 5 days and then going to San Diego for a couple of days to visit Uncle Brian, Aunt Jutem and cousins.  In order to get ready for a great vacation what does a homeschool family do?  A project of course!  In school the weeks before we go we will be doing a study on the Ocean and  a lapbook on Disneyland!

I will post pictures of them when complete.

Jul. 17, 2009 - Jay's Graduation

YEA!!!!!  HE DID IT!!!  CONGRATULATIONS HONEY WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!! 

Jay graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  It was a long two years for all of us.  Especially these last 8 months when he was working two full time jobs, going to school and we moved!   WOW!  Friday night was the big night.  The graduation was held at the University of Phoenix stadium (where the cardinals play).  There were a lot of graduates.  The kids were excited to see their daddy graduate but it was also hard keeping their attention thru the whole thing.  It was even hard to keep my attention.   My mom and dad came, Jay's dad and Donna, Jutem and her three kids and Pastor Don and Christina were all there.

As exciting as it was the speakers were kind of a let down as we had just spent the day at our homeschool convention listening to Vodie Baucham ( I will write more about the convention in another post).  Jay kept texting me while he was sitting down below talking about what a bunch of secular humanism it all was.  LOL

We are so proud of him and glad he is done.  At least for awhile.

Jutem and Chance

The Ceremony

Our family

Jay and Leah they worked on line together for over a year and finally got to meet one another.

Jay and his sis

Jay and his Dad

Proud Daddy and daughter

The family and cousins

Jay and I

The two graduates!  Joshua will graduate kindergarten (as soon as he finishes his math book) I wanted a picture of the two of them together in their cap and gowns.  Aren't they handsome!!!

Jul. 17, 2009 - Never a Dull Moment

What a night!!  Jay's sister drove in Wednesday to suprise Jay for his graduation.  Well Thursday night a classmate of his drove in from Northern CA for the graduation as well. Jay wanted to meet her and her husband.  He has been in on line classes with her and they have worked in groups together for over a year now and they have talked on the phone and thru email but never met.

So Thursday night Jay, Jutem and I went to meet up with them.  We left Anastasia and Chance in charge (two very capable girls) we made sure the babies were already in bed and off we went.  Just to Chili's mind you.  We checked in a couple of time with the girls and everything was fine all the kids were sleeping.  Well when we were just about 5 minutes from the house (it was around midnight) Anastasia called to tell us and we could hear all the smoke alarms in the house were going off but there was no fire.  We flew the rest of the way home (literally I think).  I got freaked out because as we got out of the car I could smell smoke but there was nothing coming from the house.  (Found out later someone was burning something in the area).  We go in the house and some kids were up others were sleeping right thru it!!  That was scary because they were loud.  I decided to call non-emergency fire while Jay went around and unplugged all the alarms.  We decided to get all the kids up and downstairs just to be safe.  (We had our five plus Jutem's 3)  The fire truck showed up with about 5 firemen and the kids thought that was really cool.  The truck had the flashing lights and everything.  They came in and inspected all the outlets and such and couldn't find anything wrong.  They put back in all the alarms (they weren't thrilled that Jay took them all down).  They all went off because they are hard wired together so when one goes off they all do.  As they put them back up two started chirping and they said that could be the cause.  BUT THEY HAD NOT BEEN CHIRPING PREVIOUSLY!

During all this we were having all sorts of conversations of reassuring the kids that our house was okay to Joshua wanting me to write everything down so he could share it with his friends at co-op to realizing that we need a safety plan for our family in case of a real fire.

By 1:30 am the firemen were ready to leave and Joshua and Savannah wanted to ride in the truck.  I told them maybe another time.  The fireman gave them all stickers and we finally made it to bed.  Joshua and Alexa slept in our bed with us and Savannah slept with the big girls.  Have I mentioned what wiggle worms they are and that Jay and I had to be up by 6:00 to get ready to go to the homeschool convention the next day!!  I will write more about that in another post.

No pictures of our exciting event.  I was tempted though!  LOL

Jul. 6, 2009 - It's A Boy.... It's A Boy!!

My ultrasound was this morning and all of us went including my mom.  The ultrasound technician was not going to let everyone go in the room.  She said there were too many of us!  LOL  Jay told her we could stack the youngest three on top of one another and they would equal just one person.  She didn't really laugh.  After we promised they would all be quite she let us all go in.  After all the only two that it didn't matter if they were in the room was Alexa and Natasha and they could not very well watch themselves.

So we all piled into the little room and they were very quiet.  We got to watch the ultrasound on a large TV screen.  The tech took all the measurements first and everything looked good; ten fingers, ten toes, healthy heart, brain and nose.    That was the most important to us. 

Then of course she asked if we wanted to know boy or girl and of course we did!!!  All were rooting for a boy except Savannah.  She wanted another girl for a bigger girl party.  Joshua wanted a boy so that he could get bunkbeds!  Alexa wanted a "baby Bryson" (that is our nephew's name) so she thinks our baby will be the same.

The tech took one look and said it's a boy!!  I was in shock because I was just prepared for a girl.  Jay had to look twice.  LOL  When she showed us again he was actually grabbing himself like playing peek a boo with it.  We got a picture of that!  Typical little boy.  Our scanner isn't hooked up yet so I can't post the pics yet.  I call that particular picture our "PG-13 pic"

We are very excited.  We kinda had names picked out but then I came home and looked up meanings and we are definetly going with

Jadon Christopher-  We chose that spelling of Jadon because it is Hebrew  meaning `thankful` (according to Strong's Concordance) or `he will judge`. It appears in the Old Testament as the name of Jadon the Meronothite, one of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem in the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:7).   We are so "thankful" for a healthy baby and he will also be born right before Thanksgiving!

Christopher is Greek/English and means "He who holds Christ in his heart." or literally Christ bearer.  I think that is way cool!!

We also name our boys with J C names.  Jay's grandfather was Julius Cleavand (which I would never personally choose) and he was called JC.  Jay's dad is Carl Jackson (CJ).  Jay is Jay Cee and we have Joshua Carl and now will have Jadon Christopher. 

We are truly blessed!!!

PS.  The kids were excllent during the ultrasound and didn't make a peep and the tech even complimented them and said thank you when we left!

Jun. 30, 2009 - Chuckle for the day....Kid's logic

How I love my dear sweet Savannah!  She came and showed me her little sunflower plant and how it was starting to die.  It had been growning quite nicely in a tiny cup on our windowsill.  I told her it was dying because it needed to be put into a bigger container.

When I went back into the kitchen a little while later this is what I found:

She put it in a bigger container!!!!  The logic of a 4year old.  Priceless. 

Jun. 22, 2009 - We have another walker in the house!

It's official.....we have another walker in the house!

We thought she would have walked a lot sooner but she has finally figured out and takes one step forward and two back and turns all around!  LOL

Natasha has started walking in the last two weeks and is now walking more than crawling.  I love watching little ones learn how to walk it is quite funny, arms in the air, legs wobbling around, excitement on their faces.

Joshua acutally took these pictures of Natasha and they turned out great!!!  I honestly was amazed.

Jun. 18, 2009 - Trying to catch up!

Jun. 13, 2009 - My Dancing Girls

The weekend after VBS was also Savannah and Alexa's first dance recital!  (See why I am having to catch up! )

Ok I have to brag.  I can do that after all they are my daughters and this is my blog.  They were so cute and did a great job.  My pictures of them on stage do no justice!  I am hoping my father-in-law's turned out better.  We videotaped the whole thing and I had to keep going to the dressing room and change them.  It was a great show!!!!

Way to go girls!!!!

Jun. 13, 2009 - The Boomerang Express....It all comes back to Jesus

This year for Vacation Bible School we took a ride on the Boomerang Express all the way to Australia!  We saw kangas, koalas, crocodiles, and sheep; we ate termite mounds, Kangaroo tails, and coober pedy pudding. The most important thing we learned was: 

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  1 John 4:9

It was a rewarding, wonderful and exhausting week all at the same time!  It started Saturday night with a kick off picnic and games and water jump things.  The Kangaroo came to visit and stayed all week.  Alexa was petrified of the kangaroo she cried if he was anywhere in site.  This started on Saturday and continued till Wednesday.....

Then finally by parents night the next Saturday here she was:

 Here are some more pictures of our week:

Anastasia's friend Rachel stayed with us all week.  I am so bummed I didn't get pictures of her brothers.  They stayed two nights with us for Joshua having his first sleep over with friend and they had so much fun together.

Be sure and look in my pouch!  Cute!!!

This was my classroom with my koala in a tree!  The most exciting news was I got the opportunity to pray with three of my students to except Christ as their Savior this week!!

Snack time!  Kangaroo tails.

Going to class.

Arts and Crafts

Performing for parents night.

May. 27, 2009 - Summer Time Happenings

Summer is definetly here in Arizona as the heat is on!  We are winding down with some things and gearing up with others.  Workboxes are going well except for the fact that I was sick for two days last week and they didn't happen.  (Very frustrating). But I will post more about them later.  Also Anastasia got her walking boot off.  Yeah!!!

As I mentioned before we are going to keep schooling thru the summer.  The  weekly plan is this-  Mon-School, Tuesday- Basha pool with friends, Wednesday--School, Thursday--School, Friday---Harkins Summer Movie Fun, Library and any special projects that go with our unit studies.  Jay only has 8 more days at UOP and then will be full time with the church.  It is exciting and will be challenging all at the same time.  Our budget is going to get really tight again but God has blessed us so much I know it will be fine.

We also have two birthdays and two graduations to celebrate this summer:  Natasha will turn 1 in June and Alexa will be 3 in July.  Joshua will graduate Kindergarten and Jay will graduate college in July we are going to have to plan a big celebration for our guys!!!

In the midst of all this we will go camping at least twice hopefully, have the girls dance recital, and participate in our church's VBS.  I will also be busy planning the start up of AWANA's at our church.  I am so excited and overwhelmed at the same time.  I am going to be a co-commander with another lady and we plan on starting in August.  I love Awana's and there is a lot to get planned.

So that is our plans for the summer.  What are yours?  Do you take the summer completely off of school?  Do you school year round?  Have any trips planned?

I am also looking for any good camping websites that have activites and such for kids to do while camping.  If you know of any let me know.

Also one more thing....I am planning a unit on the 4th of July and really want to do it up this year.  We always go to fireworks and such but outdoors during the day is really limited here it is usually extremely hot so what do you do to celebrate this special day with your family?  I am going to plan some crafts and such any ideas???

May. 18, 2009 - Joshua's Last T-Ball Game

Joshua had his last t-ball game on Saturday and his team did great.  They have really improved over the season!  Joshua liked playing and wants to play again next season along with doing soccer, swimming, karate and boxing!   I told him the only boxing he would be doing is on the Wii!  LOL

Year end pizza party.  Way to go A's!!!!!

May. 3, 2009 - Natasha's Eleven Months

I know I probably say this everymonth when I post her pictures but I can't believe my baby is getting so big.  She is going to be a year old already next month!!   (I need to start planning a party )

Here are her pictures with the bunny.  She was wiggly and wanted to touch the bunny.

Wanting to share her spaghetti! 

Apr. 30, 2009 - Unexpected Blessings

Wednesday night at church Anastasia was playing and fell and hurt her foot really bad. (Bad enough Jay wanted to take her for X-rays).  I had stayed home with Tasha so Jay brought the other kids home to me and then headed to the ER here in Casa Grande.  He didn't get there till almost 10:00pm.  Well they were so inundated with people looking like they had the flu that Jay was not about to sit there and wait 2 hrs. for an X ray.  So he decided to take her to the Gilbert hospital ER which we really like and have been there before.  They guranatee door to dr. in 31 minutes.  It took them about 45 minutes to get there so by this time it was close to midnight.  They did X-rays and nothing was broken but she has some damage to her growth plate and has to be in a walking boot for minimum of 3 weeks.  We are praying it is only 3 weeks the kids are so ready to go swimming!!

The really cool blessing in this is the nurse that was helping them the whole time actually lives in our exact neighborhood and she has a daughter just a year older than Anastasia.  Her birthday is on Christmas Day (Anastasia's is Christmas eve).  What are the chances of that!!!  Anastasia has been praying to meet some girls in our neighborhood around her age and her she goes to an ER almost 45 minutes away and her prayers were answered!  God is so awesome.

Now Anastasia is really anxious for her foot to heal so she can go ride scooters and play with her new friend!

Apr. 23, 2009 - WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!!!

We are going to Disneyland......okay not until September but we are so excited!!!  We love Disneyland and have not been in 4 years.  If you want to go too for a great price check out this Site.  It is South West Home Educators Association and they are sponsering their 3rd annual "Not Back to School Days" at Disneyland in September!  They have great parkhopper rates and you do not have to be a memeber of their group to participate.  They have great things planned.  Did I mention we are so excited!!!!!!

Apr. 19, 2009 - Beauty and the Beast

Anastasia performed this past weekend in another play.  This time it was Beauty and the Beast.  She is really enjoying being in theater productions no matter what size role.  This particular play she was happy to have a part in as it was mostly cast with high school students.  The girls her age got to be wolves.  As excited as I was for her to be a part of it I am also glad it is over!  Only because of the drive since we moved and they had play practice everyday the last two weeks before the show.  So Anastasia stayed quite a few nights at Papa and Grandma Donna's because they live a lot closer and were able to help get her there!  THANK YOU!!!   

We went as a family to watch her on Saturday afternoon and the kids really enjoyed it.  Alexa kept saying "The beast is nice, the beast is nice."  I think she was trying to convince herself!  LOL

Great Job!!!!

Now we will have to be on the look out for some drama productions in Casa Grande.

Apr. 2, 2009 - I have changed my "Tickers"

If you look I am sure you have noticed I don't have my weight loss ticker anymore it has been replaced......by a pregnancy one!!!!  Here was my announcement on facebook:  In November the final score will be 5 to 1 or 4 to 2.  Most people caught on right away!  My sister especially because we are pregnant together again for the 4th time.  This is how I announced it to everyone after all it is hard to get creative after this many!

All of my friends are excited and happy for us.  It is sometimes the people closest to us that don't understand our desire for a large family and they are "concerned".  Here is a great poem I want to share I found it on a momys group and it was actually written for "baby number 7" so I changed it a little.  I don't know who the original author was.  If you do please let me know.

Sixth
By Baby Way

I know I'm number six,
But the fact you can't deny-
Is that God, Almighty Giver,
Is the Author of my life.

My soul is no less special,
And my spirit no less great
Than those that came before me
Be they one, or five, or eight.

So many eyes are blinded
By the whispers of this world-
To them, there is no miracle
In a human life unfurled.

A baby's just a plaything,
A burden, or a chore,
And we must proceed with caution
To prevent too many more!

Only a fool would trust in the Lord
To give as He desires
And live a life of trust in Him.
Whatever that requires.

A new car may be exciting;
A new house may be a prize,
But my new life is better
Than any thing money buys.

So all the world may roll their eyes
When six they now see-
But I can't wait until I meet
The fools who welcome me.
-Due in November-

Here is one of my favorite quotes: 

"The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing. But in our culture we

apply for a curse and reject blessings.  Something is wrong with this

picture" ~ Doug Phillips