Jaxton's 10th Birthday

Jaxton is 10!  He is so big!  He is definitely a "big kid" these days, doing big kid things and having big kid conversations.  Its really so much fun to have a big kid in the house.  Jaxton wanted a big outdoor party this year, so we threw him just that.  He invited his school class plus some others over and they spent their time playing outside.  We barbecued, they roasted smore's, and entertained themselves outside.  As it got dark they played flashlight games with glowsticks and then we put on a giant outdoor movie projected on the house.  It was a fun time for sure!! Here are some fun things about Jaxton at age 10:

1. Jaxton's favorite food these days is CEREAL.  He loves to eat cereal and will eat it 3 meals a day if we let him. 

2. Jaxton's favorite books and stories these days are the Harry Potter Series.  He is so interested in all the cool facts and mysteries of the books and all the spells.  Maybe he will be getting some interesting Harry Potter books for Christmas....

3. Jaxton is in 4th Grade at Oak Farm Montessori.  He loves school and is excelling academically.  He currently loves Math the best and will choose math work over any other work offered to him.  He is now in a math group with 6th graders because his brain is just too smart.  

4. Jaxton loves Baby Owen.  He has always loved babies.  Babies bring out the best in him.  If he is upset, a baby will cheer him up.  And he is so loving and fun with babies.  It will be so fun to watch him with Baby Owen as Owen grows.

5.  Jaxton's piano skills are strengthening.  He has a natural talent for the piano.  His songs are beautiful.  He memorizes everything.  He is always reaching for harder and more complex music that is different or unique from the norm.  And then he never fails to master what he's chosen.  He has a confidence about him with piano.  He has no fear with it.  He will sit down and play from memory with such ease and beauty, its an amazing thing to watch. 

6. Jaxton's latest niche has been running.  He is turning up to be a really talented runner.  He can run long distances without a sweat.  He has joined a running club at the YMCA where he gets to work on his running skills.  Recently we went to the Tin Caps baseball field to run some laps as a family.  He ended up running 15 laps which equalled 5 miles.  He hardly stopped and towards the end of that he was sprinting to the finish.  And he says he could have kept going and going, it felt that great.  Again, his confidence was boosted as he realized his ability as a runner!

7. Jaxton is a Webelo cub scout who is determined to finish his Arrow of Light in the next couple months so he can join the St. Vincent Boy Scout Troop.  He's visited the troop as part of his Webelos requirements and while he was there he learned to build a fire firsthand.  He loved it and is determined to join that troop sooner rather than later.  Im glad to see his motivation here!

8.  Jaxton's favorite quote was by Albert Einstein.  It says, "You only fail when you quit trying."  We've discussed this a lot lately because school work and responsibilities are getting larger as he is getting older.  Math is a breeze, but language and reading are getting more complicated and more difficult and more time consuming.  It's easiest to just give up and say you can't do it.  He's been tempted to say this sometimes.  But we remember Einstein's quote and he has learned to NOT quit trying, not to give up, but to persevere, and keep on trying, push through that disappointment and discouragement.  This big kid is getting some real life lessons these days!

9. Jaxton is very good with his money.  He works for Simplx cleaning the office building, taking out trash, cleaning bathrooms, the kitchen, the warehouse, filing folders, etc.  He takes the money he makes and pays 10% tithing.  Then he divides the remainder between 4 jars: savings, spendings, college, and mission.  He never likes to spend his money.  He is saving it up for something big (probably electronic).  He's just fine with wearing high water pants so he can save up his money for something else.

10. Jaxton is a sweet sweet boy.  He is genuine, honest, kind, and brave.  He never has a fear of change or of anything new.  He goes to new events and experiences without a fear or doubt in his mind.  His confidence is contagious.  I never need to worry about him being afraid of something new or worried.  He just goes and does it.  He is a brave kid.

Happy Birthday Jaxton!!! We love you!!

Preschool Fun

With our new preschool group, it has been a lot of fun getting back into fun preschool activities.  My first teaching week we did "All About Me" books which was a lot of fun!  We made pancakes with faces and traced our bodies with chalk outside.  Recently we had a field trip to Matea County Park and got an official tour through the woods.  The guide let Dawson let a monarch butterfly go that had recently come out of its chrysalis in the nature center.  That was exciting! 

We did another preschool day on "spontaneous delight" from the joy school curriculum and fingerprinted and built a fort to eat our stovetop popcorn and lunch inside.  

We took another field trip to Hilgars Pumpkin patch.  We had a hayride and Pumpkin story time and played at the farm.  Preschool has been loads of fun so far!

Fort 4 Fitness Kids Race

This summer, the kids got registered for the kids marathon.  They attempt to run 25 miles throughout the summer and fall and the final 26th mile would be an actual race downtown at the Tin Caps Baseball field.  The 25 miles happened to be easy when they translate swimming, soccer, gymnastics, and all the other active things the kids do.  We took the big boys running with us on several occasions around the track at the gym.  And those boys are fast!!  Jaxton has great stamina.  He can run without stopping for long distances and then saves that crazy fast sprint for the last 30 seconds and will just take off!!  We will have to encourage him to do cross country next year in 5th grade.  And Cooper is also very very fast.  He is a sprinter for shorter distances.  

The kids race was pretty exciting.  We arrived just as they were counting down from 10 and the big boys and their buddies took off running as fast as they could!  Kaylee ran with her friend Keagan and they didn't stop the entire mile.  They were running fast and so excited!!  I ran with Dawson, who's run was as fast as my walk.  So lucky  me, being 9 months pregnant I got to walk ;-).  Dawson was a trooper.  He was motivated for this!  He would hear the music getting louder and it would motivate him that we were getting closer to the finish.  There were lots of people that offered him high fives along the course and he took every single high five with the biggest grin on his face.  He was loving it.  At the finish line he put his hands up and ran hard through the finish and got a medal put around his neck.  He was so very very proud!  What a fun experience!

Raspberry Picking

I took Dawson & Nathan and friends, Keagan and Kennedy, to the raspberry patch at Cedar Creek Produce.  We went raspberry picking.  It was so much fun!  Nathan's bucket remained pretty close to empty since every raspberry he could find went straight into his mouth.  And he was so good at finding those little red gems.  Dawson worked hard to fill his bucket and enjoyed finding bunches of raspberries hiding behind leaves and branches.  Keagan and Kennedy enjoyed the trip too and we ate lots of raspberries for our lunch.  Fun times!!!

Jaxton's Whittling Chip

In Cub Scouts, Jaxton has earned his whittling chip.  It is a card that states he has learned how to responsibly use and care for a pocket knife.  He carved a bar of soap and then has been working on a house out of balsa wood.  He received his awards at scouts and a brand new pocket knife from Dad.

Dawson's Birthday Party

Dawson wanted to have a Minion Birthday Party.  So we did everything MINIONS!!  It was a ton of fun.  We had hot dogs for dinner, decorated yellow bags for the Minion piñata, and created Minion goggles out of toilet paper tubes.  Then we played "Pin the eyeball on the Minion" and the 4 year olds absolutely loved the game!  Dawson was so proud to be four.  He had been asking the last couple of weeks if he was 4 yet.  I repeatedly told him no because he had to have his cake and blow out his candles.  So he had been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time!!!  

He got a brand new big boy bike for his birthday, that he is still getting used to a little bit.  Happy Birthday Dawson!!!

Happy Birthday Dawson

Happy Birthday Dawson!!!!

Dawson is FOUR years old!!  Here are some fun things about our big boy:

1.  Dawson is a puzzle master.  He can focus for such long periods of time on a puzzle, large or small, and he will always figure it out.  I can't believe his concentration.  He received some new puzzles for his birthday to work on and he loves them!!

2.  Dawson is in gymnastics.  He started a class this fall with other 4 and 5 year olds and Kaylee is in his class.  It has been so fun to watch him be a part of a team of kids with an instructor.  He is growing up and enjoying these types of opportunities.  Kaylee has been sweet to teach him how to use the different types of equipment and what to do, and he has been excited to use his body and learn. 

3.  Dawson is also in soccer for the first time.  Not sure whether sports is really his passion, but for now, he is enjoying it.  All the kids in his group received a new ball, but all the balls are identical.  So we wrote Dawson's name in red sharpie, and his is usually most concerned that his ball doesn't get mixed up with all the other kids' balls.  That is usually where his attention is for the full hour of instruction :-).  It's good for him to learn some foot skills and work with a team and has been fun to support him in this new opportunity.

4. Dawson loves to eat!  He is always always hungry.  He likes to listen to his belly and tell me what his belly feels like.  Sometimes his belly feels like ice cream and 7am in the morning and so he is sure that that is what he needs right then.  So I've had to assure him that ice cream wouldn't be good for his belly at 7am, and that cereal would feel better.  So we are working on healthy choices, but we can never seem to curb his hunger :-)  His favorite snack is chips with cottage cheese, he takes after his daddy in that respect.

5. Dawson has a big heart.  He is such a sweet sweet boy.  He loves to be held and loved.  He is definitely a Mommy's boy, and loves to be close with mom.  I love to hold him and snuggle with him.  He is a snuggler for sure.  

6.  Dawson loves books.  His favorites lately are his Curious George books.  He loves to read about all the adventures of George the Monkey, especially the one about camping and the one about pancakes.  He has a love for stories and I hope that he will continue to love books and learn how to read in the next couple of years.

7.  When he grows up he says he wants to be 2 things.  He wants to be Mr. Incredible, a superhero, and he wants to be a "firetruck man."  He looks like a fireman with his broad shoulders and darling face.  I can totally see him as a fireman someday.

8. Dawson loves to color.  He is very particular when he colors, it is so darn cute.  The entire coloring page has to be covered from tip to tip with 1 solid color.  So he will take a black and white coloring page and work till that entire picture is a solid yellow.  He is careful not to go out of the lines too.  It is such a funny thing that he loves to do.  So we have all kinds of picture if his that are solid colors.  He gets so proud to finish his art this way.

9. Dawson is not shy.  He loves to go out and do things and ask others questions.  He loves to go to child watch at the YMCA because there are a million toys and fun things to do.  He loves to go to the zoo and the library and participate in group activities.  He's not afraid to ask questions or talk to his soccer coaches.  I'm so grateful for his outgoing nature, yet his sweet temperament and that he doesn't have a lot of fears.  (Besides spiders :-))

10.  Dawson is a super early riser.  He is always the first one up to greet me in the mornings by 6am.  And he wakes up so very happy every morning.  He is smiling and ready for his day.  As I hustle to get the school kids up and ready, Dawson just gets himself ready by himself.  I hardly have to worry about him being ready to go, he's just responsible in that respect.  I love having him greet me first thing in the mornings.

New School Year

School has started back up and we are getting used to new routines.  Jaxton is a big 4th grader and has moved into the Prarie House for Upper Elementary.  His class consists of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders all combined.  His teachers are Jamie, who he had a couple years ago, and Abby who is new.  This year there are three full classrooms in Upper, each with about 22 kids.  We are excited for the new beginning and look forward to all that the Upper Elementary has to offer this year!

Cooper is the top dog, a third grader in Lower Elementary.  His class consists of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders.  His best buddies are Cameron Stump and Noah Bowser.  He is a leader in his class and enjoys helping the younger students.  He has been lucky to have the same teachers for 3 years in a row, Meghan & Lori. They are wonderful!

Kaylee is a big Kindergartener.  She also is in the same class as last year, since the classrooms hold ages 3-6 year olds.  She has 1 of the same teachers, Abby, and a new teacher, Ashley, who is phenomenal.  She loves being part of the oldest group of kids and doing things that only Kindergartenders get to do.  She goes to music class and learns Spanish and gets to stay for lunch as well.  She is learning how to read so well.  She is just picking it up fast and it is so exciting to see her learn.

Dawson is starting another year of a co-op preschool group.  There are 4 kids, Keagan, Beck, Crew, and Dawson.  We rotate homes and teach the alphabet and different themes twice a week.  We have field trips too which are a lot of fun!  Dawson is enjoying the new group of friends!

Simplx Raffle

We held the annual Simplx Security Raffle with our Simplx team and friends and family.  It is always an exciting event.  The employees worked hard to earn raffle tickets for a couple of months ahead of time.  The container of tickets was jam packed full and the predictions of who would win what prize was in the air.  We did a summer Hawaiian theme party complete with Hawaiian decorations, food, and games.  The kids had a ton of fun, as did all the families.  We are so grateful for every employee that makes Simplx the team that it is.  It is exciting to have such a large Simplx group to gather!

Lake Jamison

Nate has so many wonderful Simplx customers.  One kind couple, the Furneys, invited our whole family out to their lake house on Lake Jamison.  It was such a fun time for all.  They brought their two granddaughters to play with our crew.  We took their boat out to the sandbar and joined the lake like for the day.  It's a whole different scene out on the sandbar that we never knew existed. People go there to just hang out on the weekends.  There was even a fast food restaurant boat to go grab some food and people had floating picnic tables and all kinds of fun things.  We had a giant "lily pad" to play on that floated on the water.  The kids loved that.  Kaylee, Jaxton and Cooper could all touch the ground, so they just played nonstop in the water. We had a feast of a picnic on the boat and spent most of the day out there getting in and out of the water to play, relax, and eat.  On the boat ride back to the house both Dawson and Kaylee were rocked to sleep by the boat.  But Little Nathan couldn't settle down to nap the entire day!  He finally nodded off a couple minutes after buckling him in his car seat to drive home.  

We were lovin it!  Maybe someday we'll get ourselves a lake house and lake toys 😄.

Fire Station Breakfast

M&Ms The Fire Department had a special breakfast so we took the opportunity to go get some pancakes and sausage.  The kids got to hop inside a firetruck and try out the drivers seat too.  They loved it!! Dawson was so looking forward to going to the Fire Station all morning.  He was thrilled to be able to get inside and pretend to drive.  He looks like the fireman type.  We could totally see him as a firefighter one day!

Camp Chief Little Turtle

The Stump family invited us to a memorial weekend campout. We were lucky to snatch the cabins for the weekend for our camping comfort. We all had a lot of fun. We had foil dinners over the campfire and Smore's of coarse. All day the kids rode bikes, played in the lake, ran up and down the giant Sand dune Mountain and tried out canoeing and kayaking. So much to do! The boys got to kayak by themselves for the first time. Nathan got a ride in a canoe for the first time, and he hated it. He was pretty frightened. The Sandune's were a hit for everyone. The kids played flashlight tag with flashlights and glow sticks in the dark. It was a memorable trip that we will probably do again next year.

Summer Fun 2016

Fun summer days at the zoo