We got in!!!

I just got off the phone with the elementary school we have been trying to get Logan admitted to and we are in! Currently we are set for PM kindergarten, but they have me on the waiting list in case an AM spot opens. (Which I think would be best for me personally...)

Since we realized Logan would be starting Kindergarten shortly (about a year and a half ago), Steven and I have been trying to decide what to do. You see, Logan isn't your typical kindergartner. He reads at about a 1st grade reading level. He already knows lots of addition and subtraction facts (in fact, dad has started in on multiplication because Logan just soaks it up.) He would be so bored in a "typical" class.

Plus the elementary schools in our area suck. Don't get me wrong...Kim had great teachers, but the administration just sucked. The principal (from what I'm told) is just "serving her time" until she can get a cushy job. When we had to contact them about a boy in Kim's class that should have been allowed in the classroom, we didn't get much help. And when I inquired about testing for admittance to the challenge program at the middle school I was given totally wrong information and I'm still peeved about that. So as you can see, I just couldn't go through that all over again.

We thought about homeschooling. Which would have been ideal because we could go at his pace and cover things that really interested him in depth. But I just feel there is such an important social aspect to school that I couldn't imagine doing without. He would miss out on so much. I think of middle school and high school sports. I think of prom and school clubs. Not to mention, working in a group environment you learn problem solving skills that could be transferred to the workplace.

But my main fear...Logan is such an easy going kid and not hard to get along with, but he is happy in his own little world and doesn't go searching for friends...I feared that if he was homeschooled, he would socially awkward. That weird kid that doesn't understand what is going on in the world. Not quite understanding how to get along with other people on different levels. Not knowing about the new "in" thing...even if he doesn't get to buy one, at least he would know about it.

So after much discussion and some prayer, we looked into our options and discovered this magnet school. With a math and science based approach. Perfect for our little engineer. We submitted our application and crossed our fingers (while formulating a back-up plan.) So imagine my dismay when we got a letter saying we didn't make it in from the lottery and we on the waiting list. I mourned a little and looked harder at my back-up plan.

So imagine my excitement when I got the call saying we were in. I'm so juiced! I can now plan. I know we will start school August 22nd. Now I just need to find out if we are AM or PM for sure and talk to my boss about arranging my work schedule. Worse case scenario, we aren't able to work out a schedule at work and I just fill in for people...or work Saturdays...or just quit.

But at least we got in!!! All the rest will fall into place according to the plan that is meant for my family...guess we'll see what that happens to be in a few months at the latest.

Happy 1st Birthday Evan!

Here I was a year ago today....the proud mother of my 4th child. My precious 3rd little boy. My last baby. (Luckily, I'm not that fat anymore...but because I'm still "nursing" I am still fat.)


Not too happy to be away from mom. (I guess things haven't changed too much.)


A close up of that adorable, fat little, smooshie face.


Fast forward to the present day...My little man turned 1 yesterday! It has been a bittersweet occasion for me. While I'm excited that he is growing and developing, I'm sad that my last little baby isn't a baby anymore. Tell me that isn't the cutest 1 year old...I dare you!


Steven took the day off work to celebrate. The day started off with cinnamon rolls for breakfast, along with a big cup of whole milk...which he slowing liking more and more. Then off for pictures and some shopping. Then his free Iceberg birthday milkshake...sure, Steven and I are eating most of it, but he will get a little. Nikki and the kids came over for dinner, dessert and presents...

Here is Evan with the traditional 1st birthday pizza dinner.

Here is Steven's "artist interpretation" (which means setting the camera on the table and taking pictures "lazy man" style) of Evan eating dinner. Look at that intensity...


Here is Evan mad that the pizza is gone and dad is taking way too long decorating his cake...So he decided to play with the table cloth.


Ah, finally the cake is here. He didn't waste any time before diggin' in...


Remember the other boys and their 1st birthday candle? (Logan touched the flame, burnt himself and cried. Owen touched the flame, didn't care and moved onto the cake.) Evan dug into the cake covering his fingers in frosting and then used them to extinguish the candle. Such a smart little boy!


Double fistin' the cake...first the right....


Then the left...


Then a good smooshin' handful...


The cake is now gone...what do you have for me now?


Oh, yeah...the red velvet cake ice cream (yes, Neelie...you heard me right.) OH...so delicious! Highly recommend it. Blue Bunny brand.


On to the fun part...opening presents. Here he is unwrapping the race car from mom and dad.


Then the "wheelie" cars from Logan and Owen. Notice the ramp box in the back...surely the best toy of the day since all the kids were climbing over each other to play with it. (Don't say anything, it might embarrass her, but I even caught Kim playing with it earlier today.)


Here are all the kids crowding around the birthday boy wanting to hand him presents or help open them. (John, Logan, Owen and Evan are checking out the cars...Katelyn looking at her present a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD...which BTW, we watched last night and AGAIN today.)


Here is Evan enjoying his present from Kimmy. A Squeaker, I mean Rattle...don't ask.

Thanks for all the presents. Thanks to the Richardsons for coming over and celebrating with with us. (Plus watching my little bedlam-ities, so Steven and I could step out for a little while during nap time.) It was a wonderful day for all!

Happy Birthday my Sweet Baby Boy!

Meridian Idaho Temple

For those you who listened to conference Saturday morning you heard the awesome announcement about the temple that is going to be built in Meridian Idaho. I am so excited! You don't even know. This is like an answer to my unofficial prayers...let me tell you the story.

The end of December, I was driving with my family over to Idaho Falls for my cousin's wedding. My dad wanted to stop by the Twin Falls temple since he hasn't been there yet. As we were driving by and I looked at that magnificent building I was a little sad we didn't make it to the open house...keep in mind here that I was 9 months pregnant, it was the middle of August and it was a 2 hour drive EACH way...so you can probably understand why we didn't go, but I was still a little sad.

You see, I understand the importance of the temple in our lives here and our future in the worlds to come. I appreciate and honor the covenants that I made in the temple many years ago. I would like for my children to have a greater understanding and appreciation for the temple then I did when I was younger. (Not that my parents didn't do their best job trying to teach me, but when you live an hour and a half drive from the temple, you don't take your kids to visit as often as you might like.) I think this bond with the temple is most important in these latter days, especially in this world where the family and the church don't seem as important...where black and white are taking on all shades of gray.

I want my children to love the temple, to want to enter the temple, to live worthy to step foot inside when the time comes.

I yearn to take my children inside the House of the Lord so they can see the beauty and sacredness of the temple. I want them to feel the spirit as we walk into the celestial room or the sealing room. And I want them to want to feel that feeling again and again as they return.

So, I thought to myself, it would be nice if they would build a temple close enough that we could take the children to the open house. Then I thought to myself, I live 10 miles from a temple...they aren't going to build one anywhere near where I live. But I silently wished that I could take my children to see the inside of a temple.

So imagine my surprise and utter delight while listening to conference when the announcement of a temple in Meridian was made. I about jumped out of my chair! Steven guesses they might construct it around the Ten Mile Overpass which is a mere mile-ish south of my house. Imagine walking to the temple! Or they could build it out in north Meridian, which still isn't very far...maybe a ten minute drive at most. You don't even know how excited I am...okay...maybe from reading this post you might get an idea of how excited I am.

I can't wait for them to announce where it will be. I also can't wait to see what it will look like....

This is my current temple, the Boise Idaho temple:


Now don't get me wrong, but I'm not a huge fan of the look of this temple. It is beautful as a House of the Lord, but it just doesn't touch my heart like some of the other temples...


The Oakland temple...where Steven and I were sealed almost 6 years ago. Look at those palm trees and the absolutely awesome fountain and "stream-thing". Beautiful....


Or the Sacramento temple. Where Kimberley was sealed to our family October 13, 2006 and our lives became whole and complete. It is my current favorite temple....


But the Logan temple (which yes, is where we got the name for our 1st son) is what I secretly hope the Meridian temple will look like. Guess we will just have to wait a little longer and see....

PS...These gorgeous antiqued temples pics are from Lil Luna. Just another of the million craft projects that one day I will get to.

Loving Life...

Because I have been absent from blogging lately you may wonder what has been going on at the Ray House...Let me answer that for you, complete with pics.

February 22nd Kimberley turned 12. A great milestone for any LDS girl...a day when she graduates from Primary and moves to Young Womens. Kim has been gushing about all the fun being had at the activities...and she's only gone 3 times! Here she is opening presents. Notice the extreme excitement at receiving a gift card...this small piece of plastic allows her to purchase clothing that is so much cooler than anything her mother could pick out. (But just so you know when we went shopping she bought a sweater EXACTLY like one I already own...guess I don't have such bad taste after all.)
She loved each and every present! Most especially the cell phone Steven and I got for her. Now...before you all get offended that you don't have her phone number, there is a reason. She only gets 10 minutes of talk time a month and text messages cost 10cents a piece. So mainly the phone is for emergency situations. Unless you all want to scrounge up $10 a month then we can bump her up to 60 minutes a month and unlimited text messages....Perhaps one day, but for now she is just excited that she can look cool with her phone that plays music and has a QWERTY keyboard so she can pretend text people.

Here she is laughing and trying to get away from Steven taking her picture. Wasn't very successful was she....Did you notice the baby gate on the stairs in the last pic? Yep...Evan is becoming a little beast just like his older brother Owen.

I know...I know you look at this face and think what a sweet little baby....But lurking behind that sweet grin is a little demon...

Okay....he still looks absolutely precious, but you can see the mischievous-ness in his eyes. Every time the gate is down he crawls like a bandit and starts climbing the stairs, laughing the whole way up. Then he sits at the gate upstairs and swings it back and forth. Or if the bathroom door is open he plays in the toilet. Or if there is paper on the ground he shreds it up into confetti and eats it. Catching my drift yet!?! Also notice the teeth...yes, Mr. Evan has 6 little teeth (4 on top and 2 on bottom) all gappy and cute...that is until feeding time...I keep telling myself only a few months left.

Speaking on beasts...Owen has been trying to be good...well, most of the time. We now have to lock the pantry and the fridge because 3 days in a row when I went upstairs to shower or switch over laundry or put Evan down for his nap, Owen opened the freezer got out the chocolate ice cream, retrieved a spoon from the drawer and sat on the kitchen floor eating away to his hearts content...well, until I came downstairs and found him...

(That isn't a picture of the event...just my smiling little man.)

We are working on behaving. His new phrase "I be a good boy" has been helping some. When he wants to make a bad decision I ask him "Do you want to be a GOOD boy or a BAD boy?" Normally that helps him remember what he should be doing instead of what he wants to do. A couple days ago he was whining about something relentlessly and driving me nuts. I told him, "Owen, go upstairs and play. You are wearing me out." To which he responded in the most innocent voice with his big brown eyes in full force "Mom, I not wear you out."

After the above picture was taken, I tried to get him to look at the camera. Instead he swung the binoculars and whacked himself in the face...hence this picture...

Logan our big boy is just along for the ride. He has been enjoying going to work with me so he can play with some kids his age. Tuesday afternoons his favorite friend a boy named Owen (who we have to call Big O to keep him and my Owen straight) comes into the gym and they have a grand time running from killer bees or playing the Leapster.

Last month we submitted our paperwork requesting he be admitted to Galileo Elementary. It's a math and science based magnet school out in Eagle. They had the lottery last Tuesday, but it totally slipped my mind and we totally forgot about it until yesterday. So we won't find out if he was admitted for a couple weeks. If he didn't get in, Steven and I have decided to homeschool him for a year and try again next year. Wish us luck either way.

Here he is being silly. Don't ask why he is sucking his toe...I don't know why and when I asked he just laughed at me.

Things are going pretty good for Steven. His boss came to him the other day about switching over to another section in his department. He would be getting paid to write computer scripts....something he loves and enjoys. It would mean less stress at work and a better chance at getting him enrolled in a masters program focusing on computer programing. (Honestly, I've been bugging him about going back for his masters on and off for a few years, but he keeps putting it off...I'm hoping this would get him more motivated to do it.)

For your viewing pleasure...Steven playing a flute. As part of Kimberley's band class she had to teach one of her parents how to play her instrument for their concert. After much disagreement and threatening to let Kim fail that part of the class Steven stepped up and learned. I think he enjoyed his time with Kim wonderfully. (And isn't too bad at playing either.)This year, since I'm not pregnant or completely distracted, we got around to planting some seeds for early indoor starting. Since they are older seeds we will see if they sprout. (If they don't I know a place that sells starts for cheap....) We planted tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage and watermelons. Look how excited the boys are. I let them put the seeds into the dirt and they helped fetch water from the fridge for me.

And here is the newest addition to the Ray family...our piano.

It is gorgeous! We got it free from some neighbors that moved (sniff, sniff...we miss the Ramages). According to our research it was made about 1911, so my new baby is 100 years old. We had a lady come out to give us a quote on getting it tuned and fixed. Since it is 1/2 to 3/4 a note off it will probably take 2 tunings and some TLC to get done. But we figured $200 is worth it for our kids to learn to play the piano.

All in all, I am doing pretty well. I keep busy reading, checking blogs and cleaning...I am working on a couple decorating projects to sprouce up the house. First I am tackling our Living Room. I got new curtains and have a paint color picked out. Working on pillows and the wall art. Don't worry...as the projects get completed there will be pics. Work has been going good. It sure is nice getting paid to watch my kids and watch Disney movies.

So...there is your update. Hopefully, I will get better at posting more regularly. But then again...between work and spring being just around the corner we might be out more often....

AWOL

Sorry I haven't been around much these last couple weeks...with me starting work, then the vomiting, then the diarrhea and now The Hunger Games trilogy I haven't found the time to blog.

Recap:
Work is going good. (Aside from my 1st day when I accidentally dropped Evan on his head. Ok, I should explain...I had set Evan down thinking he would play while I held one of the kids I was watching. Evan decided he wanted me to hold him. I picked him up with my free arm and he decided to wiggle half-way up and I lost hold of him and he fell straight onto his forehead on the floor. No goose-egg luckily, just a minor rug burn mark. But he screamed for the last 2 hours of my shift.) Things are slow during my shift, I averaged 3 kids (besides my own) for the 4 hours I'm there...but I can't complain about getting paid to watch my own kids.

The kids came down with the flu...First Evan, then Owen, then Kim. Vomiting. Diarrhea. It was lots of fun. Diaper supplies are starting to run low. My washing machine was ready to go on strike from all the extra loads. Luckily they are all healthy and back to normal.

I got a root canal. My tooth (#19 for anyone who cares/knows which that is) started hurting Friday evening (the 4th) but I pushed it to the back burning since I we were in full poop-y battle mode. Finally on Tuesday night when I needed a Vicodin just to take the edge off to sleep I called the dentist. They got me in the next afternoon, but we couldn't pin-point the tooth so he sent me to an endodontist. We figured out what tooth it probably was about 5:30pm (after their normal closing time) and they couldn't get me in until Friday morning. I was sent away and hoped the Vicodin would tide me over. Come Friday morning my tooth was howling and I was ready to yank it out with pliers myself. When all was said and done, at least one of the nerves was necrotic and I'm on antibiotics and the dang thing still aches.

At least I had a good Valentines day. Worked the morning (which was busier, but I had a co-worker to talk to and I got out before lunch/nap time) so it was awesome. The children behaved pretty good and I got Iceberg for dinner....oh yeah...double cheeseburger, onion rings and chocolate chip cookie dough milkshake (which I'm currently finishing since it's do danged HUGE). My hubby got me a pair of princess cut diamond earrings and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Splendid.

Hopefully now that my life is getting back to normal I can get back to my witty and zany postings I know you all were missing....well that is until Mockingjay arrives at my library and I take a couple day to devour every last word...then I'll be back.

Mr. Into Everything

This morning I was checking my normal list of blogs read one my sister posted on her Blog about her son playing with their PS3.

I posted a semi-snarky comment about how we keep our electronic equipment up to prevent just such an occurance....that is until Owen discovered he could stand on stuff (like his dump truck, my yoga ball, the bathroom stool, the kiddie chair) and reach up there....

Then, speak of the devil, he decided he wanted to watch Mighty Machines (probably this one)

So he gets my yoga ball, rolls it over to the entertainment center and climbs up.

Here he is getting on the ball to step on the ledge holding the TV.

Here he is grabbing the TV remote, because you need to change the channel to get the movie on the screen.
Got the remote. Here Logan.
Trying to get the remote for the DVD player.
Little stink. Luckily, the entertainment center is in the room we occupy all day long so I notice him in the act and can stop him before any damage is done. I just thought about what wonderful timing he happened to have today. And yes, we watch Sesame Street and LOVE it!

My new job

A few of you noticed the mention of me getting a job a few posts again and inquired as to what I will be doing. Now try not to laugh too hard when I tell you....

I'm going to be a daycare attendant in my gym. (At least that's the official "title" on my paperwork.)

For those of you who know of my "dis-love" I will call it for other people's kids are probably rolling on the floor laughing right now. And I understand your confusion. Trust me I really do. But let me assure you that I have thought this through fully and discussed it with some of my soon-to-be fellow employees and they assure me it is wonderful.

You see...my gym has a daycare where you can drop off your kids while working out. (You do have to pay for this privilege, but it's not too expensive.) They has all sorts of toys and baby swings and bouncy chairs and a pack 'n play and movies....Disney movies, but this is only downstairs. Upstairs (for the kids 3 and up during certain peak hours) they have a air hockey table, big kids toys and a crawl around thing (think mini version of McD's playland) My kids love going to the gym. I love having 2 hours (though I normally only use 1 1/2) to relax and know my children are being attended to.

A month or so ago I was talking to Shauna (our favorite gal, who can get Evan to go to sleep in the blink of an eye while the others have to put forth some effort) about how she liked it. She said she's been there 5 years and loves it. She also mentioned they might have some opening around the beginning of the year and it planted a little seed.

So when Kathy, the gal in charge, asked if I was interested I decided to talk to Steven. We don't need the money or anything, but I thought it would be nice to have some extra to go out to eat a little more often, take a nicer vacation, put more into savings, build up food storage, save for bigger ticket items we would like....you get my drift.

To start out I will be working 2 days a week, 4 hours a day. (BTW during the slower times with less children coming in and out). But I can pick up extra hours if someone wants time off or calls in sick.

It's kinda like Nursery....I don't have to change diapers and if the child is being a total beast we can page their parents to come get them. I don't think it can get too much awesomer than that. This is excellent! I'm going to be paid $7.25 an hour to basically do what I do at home, only with a couple extra kids...which honestly I do a few times a month already. And since I don't get paid anything to sit on my couch at home I figure this is pretty awesome. The kids will come with me to work and get to watch movies we don't own and play with toys I don't have to store.

I probably won't start until February because I have to be CPR certified (which I'm doing tomorrow), my background check is still processing, and the schedule is already set for the month, but that's alright...I need to get a few ducks in a row and then it will all work out swimmingly. :)