The Scholz Family

Love Potion #9

2012-02-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

This year for Valentine's Day I thought it would be fun to leave something for Jeremy every day, leading up to Valentine's Day. Nothing big, rather corny actually. I gathered different candies and foods and attached a cheesy message to each. I started on the 1st and ended on the 14th. On the first day I left a box of milk duds for him to find, but he is a bad finder, so it sat until day 2. On day 2 I placed another item in his drawer, sure that he would find it. By day 3 I finally had to tell him what I was doing so he would know to"find" something each day. I had to start leaving things in more obvious places; on top of the toothpaste, on the car seat, on his towel. One morning I left a bottle of Crush labeled as Love Potion #9 on his iPad. Of course, that would be the one gift the kids would see and talk about. The kids think it's funny to talk about the label, Warning: Consumption may result in hot, passionate romance. They have teased about & discussed so much we had to ban it from the dinner talk. The label didn't keep them from drinking it though when I placed the remaining bottles in the fridge, but it did make them wonder if they were going to experience romance as a result of consumption!

Off she goes!

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Michaella got her driving permit this month. In the state of California it is not valid until you have your first day of "behind-the-wheel" training with an instructor. Jan 16, 2o11 was her big day! She must have sat in the car for about 35 minutes before she ever got to drive. Her instructor, Tess was sure to explain how to adjust the seat, as well as the mirrors and lots of other tips before leaving our house. I had my first drive with her today on the way home from seminary. I was nervous. She hugs the curb a little too close while turning, forgets her signal, and has the seat pulled up way close. We all made it home & I even let her drive us all to our destinations for school. This is just the beginning. I'm sure that in a few weeks she will have the hang of it. I guess now we start saving for another small car & put away extra money for gas.

Journals & Scripture Study

2012-01-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

For a few visits now our missionaries have challenged us to not only read the Book of Mormon regularly as a family, but to keep a Scripture Journal as well. I have been making more efforts at reading personally and haven't managed to get us reading together yet. I am using the blog The Red Headed Hostess to help me better understand and mark my scriptures. It certainly does help me remember what I have read. I have yet to write anything in my journal, but I do have one especially for this purpose. Just not sure what I want to write in it yet. I know that sounds silly but for some reason I think I'm going about this wrong. I better get over it and just start writing. It is definitely a way to see what you are learning.

I gave each of the kids a journal at our first Family Home Evening of the year. The purpose was for them to write in them things they wanted to talk to me about, ask questions and what not. Of course the older girls laughed, "No way!", they say. Surprisingly Merrick uses his daily. He writes well though out questions for and it has given me a chance to explain "mom stuff" to him. Maybe, this is the child that needed that outlet. Michaella is coming around. She writes in hers on Monday after Family Home Evening. She even asked if she could mark a page for me to read and made me promise not to read any other pages, which of course I did.

This year I am making an effort to be more diligent in things of the Spiritual nature. I'm glad to see we are off to a good start & I know it will make a big difference in our home.

A year in review.

2012-01-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

2011 was a hard year for me. I have been reflecting a lot on events and situations that I found myself in. It has definitely been a time for reflection and evaluation. Without going into details, I found myself in "bad" situation with some of the parents that I worked with at school. I have spent much time thinking about all the problems this has caused for me and refuse to allow it to get the best of me. I am thankful for friends that have supported me and lent a listening ear when needed. I have chosen not to participate in the PTC this year, it's just not worth the drama.

The year was also a year of changes! My little guy, Miles started kindergarten! He was very excited. He spent many hours with me volunteering at school. Now that he could go by himself, he was very ready. He loves his teacher, riding the bus, making new friends, & hot lunch.

Merrick had a rough year in 2011. In March he began having some stomach problems. Problems that would send us to an all day trip to the ER, a stomach specialist & would eventually end with a trip to Valley Children's Hospital to have his gal bladder removed in August. It was all pretty stressful for us both. It was also discovered that he has allergies to milk and wheat. We worked hard to adjust his diet leading up to his surgery. Since the surgery he seems to be doing fine on a regular diet; though I do worry when he says he has a stomach ache. I think he is the only 8 year old I know that take Benefiber.

As if life wasn't crazy enough. I went back to school in August. With all the children in school, now is my chance & I'm taking it. I completed my first semester with straight A's. I'm hoping that will be true for this next semester too. I start next week. I'm hoping to continue going until I complete all the courses necessary to earn my teaching credential. I'll take it a semester at a time & see what happens.

Life has been good to us this year. We spent our first year in our new house. Jeremy continues to teach. The girls are still wild and crazy, in a good way. They are constantly making silly movies & having a good time. I'm lucky to have such happy, fun kids! I'm sure 2012 will be just as good to us!

Poor neglected blog

2011-01-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

It seems like forever that I have come to update our blog. We just got so busy I didn't take time to keep up. Then of course we bought a house. So, that seemed to take up more of our time. So, today I decided that maybe I should do something about that!

This is our new house:

It is just over 2,000 sq. feet, 4 bedroom , 3 bath, LR,FR, DR. I love it!! It sits on a corner lot and our backyard faces Fargo Ave. So, we really only have 1 neighbor. The front yard is small but the backyard is a good size for the kids & tortoises.

Since moving Jeremy, Ron, and the girls have helped wall in part of the garage so that I will have a place to sew.

The walls are all up, my sewing stuff is in, we just need to paint it. I also need to decide exactly how I am going to set it up. I'm sure we will have lots of projects for awhile!

This is a coat closet just off the kitchen. We took out the coats & Jeremy added a bunch of shelves to house all our Food Storage. Now we don't have to keep it in the garage & we can see what's on hand.

Here is a look at the living room, pictures in the hall & the downstairs bath. More pictures to come as I get things set-up.

8th Grade Graduation

2010-06-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

This last couple of week has been busy. We have attended one event after another. We started off with the Science Showdown. team Scholz wins again. It is always exciting to see what all the students learn! Here is Madison, studying away!

Our other events included Michaella's 8th Grade Banquet, School Talent Show, Show & tell, School Awards & Michaella's Graduation. I am truly proud of all my kids. They have done a great job this year & accomplished many great things. We attended Michaella's graduation on Friday. She looked so beautiful. What a fine young lady she is becoming.

Family time

2010-04-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we got together with the Scholz side of the family for some serious Family Time. We were spoiled by Jeff & Lisa all weekend! "What did we do?", you ask... We did it all!

Friday night we enjoyed a Suite at the Taylor Swift Concert! All the girls were really excited to go. We sat up high in the suite & enjoyed refreshments & drinks provided by the bar tender.

On Saturday we were treated to a trip to Magic Mountain or a Dodgers game. Jeremy, the kids & I all went to Magic Mountain. We got to use the employee entrance & everyone was given a VIP bracelet. The bracelets allowed everyone to move to the very front of the line & jump on any ride. No wait time! The girls thought that was way cool!

A great weekend was had by all. We really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks Jeff & Lisa for another fabulous time!

Busy here...

2010-03-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

It seems forever that I have stopped to write about what our family has been up to. We are just plain busy. Sometimes I feel like I am being pulled in many directions and need to remember to take time to relax. Just a few weeks ago I had 3 events all on the same weekend. Somehow we managed & all went well. Here are the pictures Michaella took at our ward party for the Boy Scouts 100th Celebration.

Remember...

2010-01-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

Remember that poem by Shel Silverstein, "Sick" ? It is a cute poem, one of my favorites, about a girl named Peggy. She doesn't want to go to school, so she comes up with a very long list of illnesses that would keep her from attending school. The best part is she gets to the end of her list & discovers it is Saturday. Very cute.
Well, I feel like that is me this month. I have been sick for about 3 weeks now. I have had the flu, coughing, a sore throat & now my sore throat has decided to visit me for a second time. As soon as 8:00 gets here I am calling the doctor. I hate being sick & since moving there, is so much to do. I hate being sick!! So, off to call the Doctor to see if he can help get me back to normal. Whatever that is.

October?

2009-11-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

October where are you? How quickly you have come & gone! What a crazy month we have had in our home. It seems to have come & gone so quickly. We have been busy with volleyball, school, Achievement Days, birthdays, Red Ribbon Week, the Road Show & Halloween. At the rate we are going Christmas will be here tomorrow.

Pioneer Lady Panthers took 1st place in the district for volleyball. They played hard & did a great job all season. Way to go!

Macie, Molly, & Merrick enjoyed dressing up during Spirit Week. Here they are on "backwards" day.

Halloween came so quickly this year. I was glad that the kids all agreed to be pirates this year. It made for simple costumes & a minimal amount of shopping.

School

2009-09-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

School is finally back in session. It's hard to believe that we have an 8th, 7th, 5th, 3rd & 1st grader in the house. Miles wishes he could go too. Sometimes he does. I am once again serving on the PTC board. This time as President. I am already exhausted as we just finished our first event. Well worth the time & effort though. I hope we continue to have success throughout the year.

Michaella & Madison made the Volleyball teams. Michaella has her first game next week. It will be fun to go to the games & route them on!

Jeremy is currently coaching Michaella's team & teaching for his 6th year at Pioneer. He just completed his application for California Teacher of the Year. It was a lot of writting & forms to complete but he got it in on time. We wish him luck!

Alls quiet....

2009-07-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

My house has been very peaceful this week. Michaella & Madison left for Girl's Camp on Tues. and Jeremy & Merrick took a quick trip to UT. It's just me, Macie, Miles & Molly. I took the girls to get haircuts. We checked out the new Forever 21 in the Mall, had lunch, went swimming & now are awaiting the arrival of the other two girls. They should be home any time. I can't wait. I enjoy the quiet moments but I don't like have the family all spread out!

Molly's Baptism

2009-07-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend Molly was baptized. We were all excited for her. It was fun to watch her as she was asked questions by her Primary teacher. She would give each question deep thought before answering. I am glad to know she thinks about things a lot. We were glad that some of our family could join on us to celebrate the occasion. Thanks for coming Jade, Jeff & kids!!

Congratulations Molly! We are proud of you for all the great decisions you make. You are such a good example to those around you!!

Sharing

2009-06-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Sharing is an important thing to learn. Somehow I don't think this is what my sister-in-law meant!

Dan Dr. Reunion

2009-06-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Dan Dr. Reunion. My husband grew up in Armona, Ca. The neighbors on his street were all close & lived there for many years. Yesterday the families got together & remembered some of the fun times they had there. Here is a slide show of the pictures I took throughout the day. Enjoy!

Another Birthday!

2009-06-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

Molly turned 8 yesterday. She is such a great kid! Tender hearted, fun, loving & just enough sillines & craziness. We are glad to have her in our family. She is a good big sister & helper to me. Soon she will get baptized. We are proud of the desicions she makes & hope this next year will be just as good!

All that & a bag of chips

2009-05-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Buying groceries for our family is a task that I dread but have become very good at. Each week I plan my meals around the weeks activities & make purchases accordingly. This is a habit that I have let go just a little bit.

Today I finally made it over to Visalia to grocery shop. I haven't lost my touch! I spent $201.11. My weekly budget is $200. I usually don't use that much unless I am adding to our supplies, which is what I did today. What do you get for $201?

All of this!

Here we go Scholz! Here we go!!

2009-05-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

Last night was the 4th annual Science Showdown. Science classes go head to head & show their stuff, as they answer questions about the things they learned this year. There are 6 teams & they are divided up according to topic: cells, vertebrate, ect. This year it was Vaughn vs. Scholz. I was a little nervous as Vaughns students were ahead for the first round of questions. It was a pretty close competition the entire night.

This year was extra stressful as Michaella took the stage to answer her questions. She and her friends worked together to answer all of their questions correctly. Michaella was the last one on her team & it was all up to her to get the question correct.

I thought she was going to pass out!

"What are the three of classes mollusca?"

The three classes are: Bivalves, cephalopods & gastropods."

CORRECT! Michaella thought that was the easiest question, ever! She has studied hard and it really paid off. The kids all did a great job last night. It's fun to watch their classmates and listen to them chant, "Scholz. Scholz. Scholz." All of the students are proud "Scholz" kids. For me there are only 6 Scholz kids & one of them did a most excellent job last night.

Jeremy does a great job at rallying team work, spirit & sportsmanship. I guess that's one of the many reasons he is Teacher of the year! The final score:

Kings County Teacher of the Year 2009

2009-04-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

Jeremy, Ken Brinkman, & John Raven are Pioneer School District Employees nominated this year.
Most of you know by now that Jeremy was nominated for the Teacher of the Year. Last Thursday we went to the award ceremony. It was there that we learned he had won that title. It was so much fun! Jeremy was surrounded by fellow teachers, students & family for this event. It was really exciting to hear his name called. He works really hard for his students & it is nice for him to be recognized. You can read all about it here: http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/articles/2009/04/24/news/doc49f205a2ac436702200363.txt
Congrats Jeremy. I am proud of you!

The Scholz Family after the big win! The kids all did a great job cheering on their Dad/Uncle. If you ever need a cheering section I would definitely take them along!!

Just Chillin'

2009-04-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

Miles and I have had a couple of days to just stay home & relax. He found "his" spot today, in the unmatched sock bucket, on top of some pillows. He is so little, all curled up in there!

Happy Spring

2009-04-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

I can't really say Happy Easter but I hope you all had a pleasant one. We enjoyed Spring Break. We spent a few lazy days at home before heading over to Pacifica to hang out with the Porter's. Jeremy's sister, Jade lives there. We sure do enjoy our stays there. We had a great time checking out the tide pools, going to the Academy of Science & just hanging out!

Now it's time to get back in the swing of things. I spent yesterday in bed with a migraine & not much got done. Today I cleaned! It smells & feels better in here now. Back to work I go!!

Weeds, I am growing a bunch of weeds!

2009-03-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

I seem to have a bunch of weeds growing at my house, and I don't mean the green kind! What has happened to my children? Last week the boys got ready for church. The pants they both had on were 2-3 inches too short. Now, an easy solution would be to go get new pants. Aha, easier said then done. My boys have no waist & no butt. Miles can still were a size 12 month pant, if they were meant to be shorts they would be perfect!

My girls are growing too. We have a pile of pants that no one can seem to wear. They are too short for the big girls, perfect around the middles for the littles but way too long. What's a Mom to do! The fighting and crying over clothes has just got to stop!!! I guess today will be a day of weeding out clothes, hemming pants & possibly purchasing new ones. I have reached the point that I can no longer buy clothes for my kids without them trying them on. So sad.

Crackers in my bed?

2009-03-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

It is a little after 7am & Miles just woke up. As I came around the corner to say, "Good Morning." I heard a rustle. I remembered that Jeremy had left a box of crackers sitting next to the bed. So I asked Miles, "Are you eating crackers in my bed?" Miles replies, "Nope!" What do you think?

Regrets

2009-03-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

If any of you caught the episode of "Extreme Home Make-Over" on Sunday, then you will understand why this episode really tugged on the old heart strings. This particular family lost there home to a flood. The mother was a photographer who took pictures of babies. Not just any babies, babies that struggled to survive, babies that lived for just moments & those that never made it. She does this as a way to comfort the families, those who's lives they touch. I understand to well how important this is. She gave these families a piece of hope, something to hold onto.

March 5 marks the day that we would have had another little boy. He would be 4 years old this month had he survived. If I had any regrets in life it would be this one experience. I would not have changed the outcome, but only how I had dealt with it. I wish I had taken longer to hold him. I wish I had not rushed so much. I wish I has discussed it more with my husband. I wish I would have accepted the offer of a photograph. To others this may seem such an odd request. Four years later I still grieve his loss & sometimes wonder if it really had happened to me. I wish I had taken time, time I will never get back. If I had advice to give to someone on this, I would tell them to do whatever is necessary to comfort yourself. If others don't understand or agree, that's okay. You need to find comfort in a difficult time. I have a box in the top of my closet from that day. In it there are cards from family & friends, a small blanket & a card with our little boys footprints on it. I also have a teddy bear that was given to me by the hospital. He sits in my china cabinet, where I can see him. He is just a gentle reminder of our loss.

I know Heavenly Father has a plan for all this. I can accept that even though I do not understand. Most days I don't think of it all too much but today I am. Tomorrow will be another day & everything will be alright.

My Girls

2009-02-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

I took Michaella & Madison out last week for a "photo shoot". We all had a fun time. They are 2 very goofy girls. They remind me a lot of Jade & Jena,(my 2 SIL's). I imagine that these 2 sisters fought & teased just like my 2 girls. If I had to say, Michaella is most like her Aunt Jena. Madison is most like her Aunt Jade. Seems silly that Michaella is the one that was named after her Aunt Jade. LOL

In just a couple months Michaella will be 13 & Madison 12. They are becoming teenagers fast. I am not sure if I am ready for the change in attitude, hormones, & such. I do enjoy being able to have a babysitter when I need one. That has allowed for Jeremy & I to have some freedom, freedom that we have not enjoyed for a long time.

I think I have some pretty great kids. They are helpful, loving, supportive, kind, & fun. They are also moody, mouthy, obnoxious & know-it-all's. That's okay. I'll take it all!

Taxes & bills & toys. Oh My!

2009-02-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

For most people taxes are not so much fun. At this point in our lives we don't mind them so much. With so many kids we get a pretty good tax break. On Friday our tax return was in the bank. Jeremy & I have had an agreement for a couple of years now. We each get a set amount of our tax return. We are free to do whatever we want with it. So, on Friday morning I sat down & paid off as many bills as I possibly could. I was able to free up a couple hundred dollars of monthly payments, put some money in the bank & set aside spending money for each of us.

I have had my eye on a new camera for awhile now. After paying the bills, I went & got it! I am now the proud owner of a Canon Rebel. I have taken just a few shots with it so far. I have to say I am pleased with the results thus far. I'll have to play with it & read the manual to see all it has to offer. I like being able to get a good picture of Miles instead of the back of his head. The quality is so much better than my point & shoot. Here are just a couple of shots of the boys I got while playing with MY new camera.

I love how Merrick's eyes are so bright.

I am sure the girls will love them in a few more years!

My goofy boy. At least his eyes are open & I see his face. I took a lot of pictures while he was in this chair. They are all silly & fun. I was having a good time playing with the camera & he just kept saying, "Cheese, cheese, cheese."

Pay it Forward

2009-02-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

I've seen this a couple of places and decided it would be something fun to do. So, here's how it works-the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or be lazy and copy and past like I did). Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival or your gift! Please submit in an e-mail or on the comment, your address, if I don't have it already. Remember that only the first 3 comments will receive a gift from me, so be quick

Seeing that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, now is a good time to do this. What a great family & friends I have! Things get kind of crazy at our house every now & then. I can always count on all of you to cheer me up & help me out. Have a great Valentine's Day with all your loved ones!

Every now & then...

2009-01-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

Every now & then life catches up with me & I get sick. Such is the case this week. Between meeting the needs of our family, my calling at church, and being the PTC Vice President I have managed to get sick this week. Nothing terrible but no fun non the less. I have been trying to rest but just don't want to face the mess that will be waiting for me days from now. I think there should be a magic pill just for us Moms. A pill that does not allow for us to get sick, EVER! Or at least give us a magic wand or our very own Mary Poppins. I hope all is well with the rest of you. I am sure I'll be up & around soon, what choice do I have!

It's a new year

2009-01-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

We made it to see 2009! We had a great year in 2008 and hope that the New Year will be just as good, if not greater. With the New Year comes a time for reflection & goal making. Our family has decided that this will be "The Year of the House". We would really like to see ourselves buy a house this time next year. We have talked about it with our kids & plan to make a wish list for "our house". I have been busy crunching numbers, budgeting & planning so that we can make that happen. I think that it is an achievable goal. It will just take a little bit of hard work on our part & better planning. Our first plan is to pay off our car in March. Then we can apply that payment to a couple of our smaller bills to make them disappear. I am excited! We only have 4 bills that are not living expenses, so they should disappear quickly. Well....maybe not Jeremy's school loans. The other 3 should not be a problem. Best of luck to all of you with your planes for the New Year!!

Christmas Celebrations

2008-12-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve has become a time for traditions at our house. It began when Michaella & Madison were little. Now that they are a little older they can participate more. Christmas Eve at our house is a night for cheese, crackers, sausages & Sparkling Cider, fire & a movie. Just a couple years ago we added cheese balls to the menu. This year everyone over the age of 2 created a Cheese Ball. We are getting quite good at creating them & that makes it real hard to choose a favorite.

This year we had 7 creations:

Nacho Cheese Ball ( Macie, Molly, & Merrick)

Pepper Flake & Lemon ( Madison)

Bacon Ranch (Michaella)

Strawberry-Chocolate Swirl (Mom)

5 cheese ball (Dad)

Black Pepper Ranch (Dad)

Horseradish (Dad)

Madison's ball was a little hot ...no...a lot hot. She & Grandpa Scholz liked that one. Either that or they are trying to prove something! The Nacho Ball was actually good. It has become a joke in our house. If Jared were here I am sure he would find the humor in it. It is his voice I hear each time someone says "That's nacho ball!" ....I know lame! The kids had a great time planning & thinking about what to add to their ball. Next year I am sure it will be even better! So if you have a good recipe, come on over & we'll have a Cheese Ball Challenge!

It seems that every Christmas I have camera issues. I hope that has not become a Tradition too. This is the 3rd year in a row that I got goofy, blurry, poor pictures! Oh well. The kids broke my camera again & now I'll just have to wait for another one. Here are a few shots from Christmas Day. The kids had a great day. We enjoyed one another's company, played the Wii & ate more food! The kids were very excited & surprised to find a Wii under the tree. A lot of planning went into that. I have had it sitting in my closet since February. I bought it with tax money & hid all this time. I can not believe I had the patience to keep it hidden all summer long. It was worth it! I hope you all have enjoyed your holiday as much as we did!

Before the Wii

After the Wii

Miles was not too interested in anything other than this Diego Big Wheel he got. It makes lots of noises. He can't reach the pedals but he will not get off of it. He almost didn't even want to open his other presents....almost!

Little Lamb

2008-12-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

Michaella has a friend that has sheep. On Saturday one of them delivered a little girl. This is Ferrari. She is so cute. Miles really enjoyed petting her, watching her eat & listening to her cry. It was great to get to go & see her. Thanks Beaujena for sharing her with us. She is too darn cute!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T13:55:00.000-08:00

Well I think Christmas has really just crept upon us this year. I managed to get Christmas shopping finished, a little bit of baking done, and even took pictures for our Christmas card. I never made it to get the cards printed. I think that was partially becuase I was not really happy with the card. So this year we have not sent one out. I have enjoyed recieving everyone's cards & seeing how their families have grown through the year. I am disapponted that I did not get ours done. Oh well!

We really are thankful for each of you. You have all touched our lives in many ways. I know we are all blessed to have such great family & friends. So thanks for being you & all you do for us! We wish you all a happy & safe holiday season.

Congratulations Jeremy!

2008-11-14T18:09:00.000-08:00

Jeremy has officially been nominated for Teacher of the Year. In April we will be attending the County event & find who is Teacher of the Year for Kings County. He had been nominated by his colleagues & selected by a panel for the Pioneer School District. We are so excited for him! I guess I'll have to go buy a new dress!

My Husband....the GENIUS!

2008-11-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

Miles has a fascination with fire. He loves to blow out candles and matches. He even tries to blow out the flame on my gas burner. One day Jeremy sat down with him & let him light and blow out matches. I objected all the while! I suppose because his own mother let him sit at the counter and light an entire box of matches, he thought it was okay.

Well.....it is not okay. As I sat at the computer this morning I could smell MATCHES! I turn to see that Miles has found a box. He sat & lit each one with no trouble at all. When the flame would go out he would shout, "Yeah!!" and clap his hands.

Now I have a pyro & a genius in the family. I am a lucky woman!

For the record

2008-11-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

As I was leaving church this morning, there were two protesters out on the sidewalk. "No big deal." I thought. As I left they stood there with their signs. Waving them proudly, blocking my view to see on coming cars. I still was not bothered by their presence until I got a good look at their sign. I couldn't tell you what it said, it is the image that gets me. They had taken a picture of President Monson & drawn a "Hitler" moustache on him. Now for anyone who has ever heard this man speak, or been in his presence you know that he is a gentle, loving & Christlike man. It saddened me to see his picture abused like that.
I think it is unfair to blame the Mormon Church for the passing of Proposition 8. Yes, there are many, many supporters from the church. Not all "yes" voters are Mormon & not all Mormons are "yes" voters. I have both friends and family that have voted both ways. Not all my family is LDS but yet some of them voted yes on Prop. 8. It is a personal decision that we each made according to our own beliefs and values.

Busy bee...?

2008-11-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

Well I have signed up for the Christmas Boutique. It will take place in Dec. I have 10 orders for purses to make & need to get more inventory for my booth. I tried to get things done today but did not get as far as I wanted. Today starts a four day weekend for us. Hopefully I can use it well. I did get a few things cut & these adorable purses made. Are they not cute? I am rather fond of them! I have more cut & hope to get them all up in my Etsy Shop soon!

Weekend full of FUN!

2008-11-04T10:14:00.000-08:00

Trunk-or-Treating

We have had a full weekend. The kids really enjoyed Halloween. They had parties at school & went to our Ward Trunk-or-Treat night. They got to hang out with their friends & gather lots and lots and lots of treats.

Saturday morning we left to go see family in Pacifica. We enjoyed a weekend with Aunts, uncles, grandparents, and many, many cousins. The kids had a great time playing togther while the adults enjoyed visiting. On our way home we stopped at Casa de Fruita. We made it just in time to catch the last train ride. The kids sure enjoyed that too. We got home just in time for baths and bedtime. It was back to school on Monday.

The train at Casa de Fruita

2008-10-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Merrick's class to help carve pumpkins. We carved them outside on the field. It sure was hot. I am ready for Fall weather but so far it hasn't shown up yet. Merrick did a good job on his pumpkin. I didn't need to help him at all. He is growing up so fast!!

A bicycle built for two

2008-10-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

Recently my In-laws invested in a two seater bicycle. On Sunday afternoon they rode it over & we got to check it out. My mother-in-law always does the driving. So, while they were here Grandpa took us for a ride. I think he just wanted a chance to be in the front. It's a little bit scary being in the back. If you are the kind who always likes to be in control, the back is not for you! I never knew which way we were going next! It was great fun though.

It was funny to wact Macie & Michaella ride the bike. They could not even reach the pedals!

"Please, bless the corn."

2008-10-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

This last week Miles & I traveled to Visalia to go to the Pumpkin Patch with some of our friends from church. There are lots of little boys his age. He loved running around & playing in the corn. I happened to snap this picture of him at just the right moment. He looks like he is saying a little prayer. I think it's pretty cute!

Another Year Older

2008-10-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 36th birthday. It seems that time goes by faster the older you get. We celebrated at home. Jeremy cooked dinner & the kids cleaned it up. Michaella worked really hard making me a birthday cake. She did a pretty good job. This was her first time trying something this difficult. I sure appreciate all of my family & how they try and make everything a little easier for me on my birthday.

"What do you do all day?"

2008-09-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Since five out of six kids are in school this year I am often asked, "What do you do all day?' or "How is it just having one home?" I am sure that most think that it is a piece of cake and my load had been lighter since the majority of the family goes off to school in the morning. That is not so. I seem to be busier than ever. Miles & I spend a lot of time at the Elementary School. This year I am volunteering my time as Vice President of the PTC. It is a lot harder than I thought. Right now we have started our fundraiser. I am in charge of that & there are lots of things that go into that. My being away from home all day leaves my household chores undone. I spend my afternoons & evenings trying to catch up on what didn't get done earlier in the day. I have had to remind myself that I can "play" later if I get my chores done.

When I do have some down time I love to sew. I have been busy making things for the craft show that will be in December. I have orders for purses and bags that I am trying to finish up. I love being able to sit & sew . Seeing the finished project is even better. Here are a few of the things I have finished this week.

1 daiper bag, 2 purses & 3 crayon rolls.

Bump, set, spike!

2008-09-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

This year Michaella tried out for the Volleyball team. I was really nervous about her making the team. She had tried out last year & did not make it. She spent this summer practicing push-ups and her volleyball skills. Michaella & Madison both tried out for the team but only Michaella made it. She is doing really well & listens to her coach. That's a little hard for her, since the coach is her Dad! Pioneer has had 3 games so far. Each game I see the players improve in their skills. They have won all three of their games so far. Go Panthers!!

Mt. Whitney Hike

2008-09-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

This summer Jeremy went with the Young Men from our ward and hiked Mt. Whitney. It was about a 14 mile hike. They left early on Aug. 4th and returned home on Aug. 9th. It was a long journey. All the boys did really well & so did their leaders. Way to go!

Here is the group all set and ready to go!

Here is Jeremy taking a break along the trail. Parts of the mountain were very narrow & rough.

There were lots of pictures taken along the hike. Here are Jeremy, Pat Briggs, Danny Todd, Jonathon Buckley & Juan Palacio. They are a good bunch of guys & seem to get along well. I am not sure they are the best examples for the YM seeing as they are all a bunch a pranksters!

Mission accomplished! Here they all are at the top.

I know, I can't make up my mind

2008-09-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

As you can see I have been busy playing with the look of my blog. I wanted it to be fun & not just like everyone else's. So, I think I found a look I like. I happened to be on Sugardoodle & came across a great site listed in the Random 10 pages. Check out Leelou Custom Blogs Designs
Have a nice day!

Summer is finally over.

2008-09-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

San Diego Beach

This has been a great summer for our family. We have managed to see all the grandparents & cousins. Jeremy taught summer school again this year but that didn't stop us from getting around. We have been to the coast twice, two different zoos, down to Valencia, up to Sacramento and everywhere in between. Michaella went to girls camp for the first time. She had a great time. Jeremy hiked Mt. Whitney. He came with giant blisters but I am sure he would do it all over again.

Now everyone has returned to some sort of schedule. Everyone goes to school in the morning but Miles. He enjoys playing with his trains & that allows for me to get some things done around the house. Life is good!

Snakes, snakes, snakes!

2008-06-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

This week the kids had a great time looking at snakes. Yes, s-n-a-k-e-s! We have a friend that goes to different schools in our area & teaches them about reptiles. Our own animals get to go with him. On his return of our iguana & tortoises he let the kids hold his snakes.

Here is our friend, Pat Briggs. This is a python that he has. On this particular day, he traveled with a rattlesnake, 2 tortoises, an iguana, a Black King Snake, a CA King Snake, another small orange & black snake & 1 box turtle.

Thie is the CA King sanke that Merrick is holding.

Miles is holding the Black King Snake. He thought they were all very cool. He has no fear when it comes to all these reptiles.

All of the kids had a chance to hold the snakes. They enjoyed holding this Python. It was rather curious about who was holding it though. It would wrap around and check the kids out. I think this made Michaella & Molly the most nervous.

My favorite snake had to be this small one that Merrick is holding. It is fully grown, about the size of a worm. Now, that's my kind of snake!

Pioneer Science Showdown

2008-05-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

Last night was the 3rd annual Science Showdown at Pioneer Middle School. It began three years ago when Jeremy first began teaching there. Each teacher has a group of students who are assigned a topic, they are then asked a series of questions about that topic. Te information used for the questions are things the student learned through out the year. Each team has 6 students and there were about 6 groups. The topics range from human anatomy, cells, animals, ect. It was really loud in there. You can definately tell who was the favorite!

Here are some of Jeremy's students preparing for the night!

Mr. VanNest & Mr. Scholz shaking hands.

As part of the competition, some teams were allowed to discuss the answers to their questions. Each team was presented with a different question and awarded for correct answers.

Jeremy has devoted students who have worked hard & studied alot for this night.

All the hard work paid off. In the first round Scholz smoked out the VaughNest Team. Leading witha 7-1 lead. The final score was great & the crowds erupted with more screams & jumping up & down. I think later today the classes are having a little celebration. Team Scholz wins for the 3rd time. Go Scholz! Check out the article in the paper. It made the front page! http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/doc48404bdd91f62882542435.txt

Beware of quiet moments

2008-05-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

In my years of being a mother I have learned that not all quiet moments are good. Today Miles decided to help himself to some chocolate milk. I wish I has caught him a few moments sooner. If I had maybe I would not have had such a big mess to clean up!

Trip to Lompoc

2008-05-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

My Dad just turned 60 this last week. His wife, Denise has a little party for him. We (his kids) all showed up to help celebrate. He wa really surprised when we all showed up. The cousins had a great time playing with one another. We had lots of food & a great time visiting.

The kids all had a great time playing the drums with Uncle Tim.

Govenor's Office

2008-05-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Over the summer we had a great chance to go & tour the Govenor's Office. It was really awesome to go tour the capital & then go through his office. We also go to go see Maria's Office too. The kids were very intersted & had a great time. I think they were most inmpressed with the large, 13 lb. sword that was in the Govenor's Office. It was the one he used in Conan. Pretty cool! We also got to sign the Govenor's Guestbook.

I really stink...

2008-01-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

Well I just have to say that I am not so great at this blog thing. I am going to try and get better. Since Christmas we have all been busy getting back into the routine of things. This week we have all been sick with something. I had all my kids home sick on Tues. That was sure fun!! Hopefully we all will be better by next week.

I have been teaching myself to do Digital Scrapbooking using Photoshop and Storybook Creator plus. It has sure been a lot of fun. I had no idea all the things you could do with Photoshop. I am working on getting all of our pictures from Thansgiving onto pages. As soon as I have them done I will have them printed into a little book. I love being able to scrapbook again and yet I have no mess to clean up. It is definately the way to go since Miles has learned to climb on top of anything & everything!!

Well, I am back to scrapping. The boys are both sleeping & all is quiet here.

I am...

2007-11-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

Last year when Michaella was in the 5th grade she wrote an article for her class. The title is, "I am...". Her teacher went on to send it to a paper that is distributed to 5th grade classes all over. Apparently there was some kind of contest. Michaella had her article published & won $5 cash. Lucky girl. Who knew she was so smart?

Busy Bee

2007-11-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

Right before Thanksgiving I learned I had been accepted to participate in a local Holiday Boutique. I have been busy sewing today. I got 8 baby blankets made & have some purses to get done as well. This will be my first time doing something like this. I have been making & selling purses for the girls friends for about a month or so. I thought maybe I could make a few extra dollars to help with Christmas presents this year. The fair is Sat. I sure hope I do well!!

(Pictured is the one of the purses I made for a friend.)

Welcome to our blog

2007-11-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

We are reaching a busy time in our lives as the holidays have quickly arrived. Here you can check out what we have been busy doing & all the latest news. I am still pretty new to this so we'll see how it goes. I hope you all have had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We sure did!!