Summer Begins

Summer has begun.  I, the mean Mom, require that the girls do certain things each day.  There is the normal stuff and cleaning of the bedroom, then we have scriptures, and a cleaning project every day.  This week we cleaned out the shoe closet and the kitchen cabinets.  I keep the projects to 15 to 20 minutes so that they aren’t unbearable  - and because I don’t want any mutiny on my hands!  :)  The girls also have to read,  do math facts, and practice their music every day.  Becca is working on a project.  She is scanning in all the pictures from her baby book.  Back in the day, we didn’t have digital cameras.  She is creating a blog of her life.  It is so fun to see her as an adorable baby and to see Jason and I so very, very young!

Bella:

 

Cleaning projects:

Dailies:

Becca’s project and playing around:

   

We also had a few play dates this week with friends on Monday.  Tuesday Bella and I went downtown.  Wednesday everyone but Bella went to the dentist – only one crown and nerve treatment required plus a referral for braces - ugh.  Thursday we divided.  Becca and Joy went to the the Sutherlands and the rest of us went to the library for their Mad Scientist presentation – very fun!  We found a book that Joy loves – TOTORO!!  The girls and I have enjoyed a new author this week, Gail Carson Levine.  She writes a series called The Princess Tales.  They are short, but so fun!  Friday was piano lessons and Jessi had a harp lesson!  Sammi’s friend’s big sister has played for six years and took the time to show Jessi all about the harp and how to hold her hands.  Ugh – I wish harps weren’t so expensive!!

          

Yard Work – I was watching Jason teaching the girls about mowing and thinking.  We are training our girls in so many ways.  In a lot of ways we are training them to be like us when they grow up.  We want them to have what we have.  We want them to be happy.  Then the thought came that this is just like Heavenly Father.  He wants so much for us.  He wants us to have so much, so he teaches us.  He sends experiences that teach us, that train us.  I am so grateful to be a parent.  I have learned so much about how Heavenly Father operates from being a mother.  It makes me so much more grateful for his parenting in my life.

  

  

Lizzy wants to learn everything right now.  She wanted to learn how to shoot the BB gun.  She wanted to learn how to use the new camera.  She wants to learn how to hold dragonflies on her finger!  She is just a sponge right now!  :)   

This week’s yumminess:  Sammi’s brownies and individual pizzas  :)