Day 16: The Music Man

On Saturday night Jake and I got to go and watch The Music Man and it was so good!  Aaron was at Stake Conference (I was a rebel and didn't got since we had free tickets to the play!) and Mom gave us the tickets since she was able to see it the night before while she volunteered at it. The end. :)

Day 15: A New Toy

Jake went with Papa G to Triple Tree on Friday to the world's largest remote control airshow.  They had a blast and they came home with a new toy.  Papa got Jake an early birthday gift and it is pretty cool! It took some time to "trim" it.  I really don't know what that means...But he has it all figured it out and is loving it.

Sadie doesn't know what to think of it.  It doesn't scare her as much as Jake's bigger helicopter but she still stays clear.

Here are the pictures that Papa G texted me while they were at the airshow.

Can you believe this is a remote control?

I am so glad that Jake gets to grow up with both of his grandparents in the same town.  He is one spoiled lucky boy. :)

Day 14: Dad's 68!

  Before I get to the picture of the day I need to declare that our family will no longer be wearing clean clothes, sleeping on clean sheets, or using clean towels.  Literally minutes after I was taking fresh spring smelling laundry off the line (while contemplating how one of my least favorite chores becomes my favorite when you add in sunshine, a nice breeze and a clothesline), I saw a snake in the laundry room.  A snake in the laundry room.  A snake.  In MY laundry room.  It peeped its horrible head out and was crawling up the wall behind the washer and dryer. Why?  Why can they climb a wall?  They have no arms or legs! I screamed while slamming the dryer closed and ran in the house.  As Jake met me in the kitchen I cried and told him there was a SNAKE IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM.  Here I am behind the screen door in the kitchen taking a picture of Jake with his snake hunting tools.  We called Papa Harmon and he came and helped in the search.  They did not find the snake.  Jake actually asked me if it wasn't just the hose from the washer I saw.  Really?  So for this reason I will not be going into the laundry room.  Indefinitely. 

On a lighter note...I love making Red Wine Vinaigrette in a mason jar because it looks so pretty.  I made a salad for Dad's birthday dinner.  It is so simple and so delicious.  It is just spring mix lettuce with strawberries, walnuts, Colby Jack cheese and this salad dressing.  It paired perfectly with the Salmon that was sooooo yummy.

We got Dad a few dark chocolate bars from Ikea and some of their blueberry jam.  We also bought him a book (it was from mom too).  It is The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Collection.  He had admired my copy when they were at our house for dinner on Mothers Day so we though it would be the perfect gift.  Aunt Sheila got him a book of chocolate recipes and she made him chocolate truffles.  Mom got him a a little American flag treasure book and sign for his man cave that says, "I Pray For America" on it.  

Don't worry his face isn't on fire.

I have two pictures of the day for May 14th.  This one that we will name: "For the pure joy of dark chocolate".

And this one.  It doesn't really need a name.  Happy 68th birthday Dad!  We love you! But we hate snakes.

Day 13: A Well Loved Book

After we say the Pledge of Allegiance and a morning prayer we read from two books to start our day of homeschooling.  One is The American Patriots Almanac by William H Bennett. The other is the book that Jake is reading from in the picture of the day for May 13, 2015.  It is a daily devotional book, called Stand A Little Taller, that you read a scripture in and then a comment from President Gordon B. Hinckley.  The fact that is falling apart says it all.  It is filled with words to live by!

In other news from Wednesday:  Jake (who is a Boy Scout) taught Mikael (who is a Cub Scout) how to take care of his bike which was the last thing he needed to learn in order to earn his Handyman pin.  

After that they rode their bikes around the parking lot at church and Jake was very proud of a skid park he made.

Then he rode his bike home from church.  It isn't that far away but it is off a four lane road so I kept pulling over to make sure he was okay.  I am an overprotective mother like that.

And Jake found this disgusting tick on Sadie.  So gross. 

Day 12-Blessed

 We are blessed to live in the time we do.  Last night Elder Bednar (one of the 12 Apostles.  Yes, I testify that there are Apostles alive on the earth today thanks to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ) and his wife had a live "LDSface2face" discussion on social media with the youth of the church and the world.  It was all questions put forward by the youth that they answered and it was awesome.  I was still in my work out clothes and not showered so I watched it on LDS.org while Aaron and Jake went to the church to watch it with the rest of the youth in our ward.  Jake said he wished he could ask the question, "can this be a live show on TV every week?".  I guess he kind of liked it. :)

And just because we are so blessed I had to post this picture.  This is what our day looks like a lot of the time.  Jake and I studying.  I just finished the syllabus for the first semester of the class I am teaching at co-op next year.  American Literature and Composition.  I am more than a little excited and I am reading the books for next year now to prep.  That reminds me...I need to look back and document the books we have been reading.  I even got PTPP Aaron to agree to a picture of him and the books he has read this year.  I better jump on that before he changes his mind...which he may have already done, knowing him! When I told Aaron I finished the first semester syllabus he said, "You wish you were a teacher don't you?"....To which I replied, "I am".  He meant a certified and paycheck receiving teacher and my answer to that question is NO. Not now at least.  I am glad I am the teacher to my child and too those I teach at church and co-op.  Who knows what the future holds down the road?  There is a season for everything...But I would have A LOT of studying to do before that could ever happen since I don't have any degree.  I really think you should earn something by being a homeschooling mom!

Day 11-God Bless the USA

 Jake has a new addition to his bedroom.  Aaron's work was replacing their giant flag because it was tattered at the end and Aaron happened to be there when they were going to get rid of it.  He brought it home and it found its new home in Jake's room.  I took a picture of Jake as we were getting ready to say the Pledge of Allegiance on Monday morning before starting school.

We usually say the Pledge in the dining room (where we always start school) on the little flag we have framed on the wall, above the Norman Rockwell pictures (see it in this tiny picture?). We have his "Four Freedoms" pictures on the wall in the dining room.  Two are on one side under the American flag and the other two on the other side of the windows under the South Carolina flag.  We are patriotic like that. :) Back to what I was saying...On Monday we were in the dining room about to say the Pledge and Jake said, "Why are doing it on this puny flag?"  And a new tradition has been born.  The Pledge is said in Jake's room now.  I keep seeing on the news how idiotic morons (redundant? I don't think so.) are walking on the flags like the the hippies did back in the 60's and 70's and it makes me want to scream!  This is one flag they can't walk all over.

Day 10 Mothers Day

This counts as the picture of the day for day 10 which happened to be Mothers Day!

Jake made me a bowl on the lathe at Papa Harmon's and he made me a necklace with Nee. 

Just ignore the grainy picture and the mess on my dresser.  How sweet is this boy of mine?  He said he was going to bring me breakfast at 8:30, but at 7 there was a knock on the door.  He said when he got up he just started cooking and didn't look at the time because he was so excited. 

I am going to have to get him to write over this in permanent marker.  It says, "To the worlds Greatest Mom! Love you J.H. 5/6/15

He made me a fried egg and cheese sandwich on ciabatta bread and my new favorite light Greek vanilla coconut yogurt.  It was delicious!

          Sadie wanted to wish me a Happy Mothers day too...by being there in case I dropped anything!  :)

We rearranged the dining room to make room for another table (and the kiddos still had to eat in Jake's room on his table he builds his Lego's on) to make room for all the Harmon's, Martin's, Graves', and one Smith for a Mothers Day dinner!

Our little house doesn't seem big enough for 16 people but we fill it right up and have a good time!

  We missed the VA Harmon's but took a picture with all the local cousins. 


It was a great Mothers Day weekend!