Starting Home School

Last Wednesday we officially kicked off our first real year of home schooling. The kick off was very nice. I spent all day preparing a family feast. We made it really fancy with a table cloth and even glasses! (My family thought this was a big deal because I never bring cups to the table. They know they're all on there own for drinks). I decorated the table with the childrens' prized possessions: horses and batmans and dinosaurs and books and such. Brian and I made a paper crown for each of them with magazine cut-outs that describe them. It was so fun to see how different they all came out. I told them how our home school will be different than other schools. This, for all the people that wonder why I am so crazy to attempt such a thing, (and yes, I agree), is what no school or teacher, no matter how great the experience, the curriculum, or the funding, is what I can give my children. I know that they were each sent here to me, to our family, at this moment in time for a special purpose. They will be given the opportunity to seek out that special purpose, to develop their unique gifts and abilities at my side, to guide and mentor them and provide them with the things they need to do so. This is the vision that I see, and I know that if every mother could see it, would want the same thing. I made plaques for each of them as well, with an antique key and the scripture to "seek learning." We talked about how learning is the key to everything. All kinds of learning. After dinner Brian gave each of the kids fathers' blessings. And me. It was a wonderful evening.
Even though the vision sounds glorious and ideal, I know the implementation will be messy and inconsistent. The kids fight through devotional and don't want to do their chores. Summer doesn't want to read. We're waiting for most of our books to get here. They play when they are supposed to be listening. Brian and I spent 4 hours on Saturday building a puppet theater that they still haven't played with. Its the one-day-at-a-time, unplanned teaching moments. Its establishing relationships of love and trust. It's sharing my testimony of the gospel. It's improving myself so my children will look up to me. It's the steady drip, drip, drip of repetition, of family meals, scripture study, chores, reading time, family nights, etc., that lead to the final tapestry. So, for those who keep asking me how home schooling is going...

Ask me when its over :)

Danielson Family Reunion 2010--Big Basin

We did a game show theme this year and it was absolutely the funnest time we have ever had as a family. Here is the breakdown: Emily & Brian-"Survivor", Mom & Dad-"Jeopardy", Mike & Christen-"Family Fued" and "Good or Gross", Jake and Amber-"Deal or No Deal", The Girls-"The Newlywed Game", and Jenny & Rick-"Minute to Win It". So fun.

Summer's Salon and Spa

I can't believe I forgot to write about the Spa party! It was fabulous. We decorated the living room just like a spa. When the girls arrived, they exchanged their shoes for luxurious spa socks and were given their very own customized water bottle (see picture). Then, they were rotated through 3 spa treatments: a pedicure, a manicure, and a yogurt facial (complete with chilled cucumbers). We had candlelight and relaxing music playing and the boys were banished upstairs! It was a huge success.

At the Pool

Announcement!

I am happy to announce that, after a year of being a "blogger", I officially have enough posts to have an "Older Posts" link on my page. Thank you. Thank you.

Scrapbooking Resumes

Megan and I went to a scrapbook weekend yesterday and today with Misty and Grandma Halley. Holy Moly! Scrapbooking has gotten a little out of control in the last 6 years, if you ask me. We went to Misty's mother-in-law's house. She used to work for Provo Craft, and her scrapbook "room" was more like a scrapbook store stockroom. After a few hours of learning how to use all the gadgets and looking in the idea books, we were officially intimidated and sat staring at our blank cardstock like we had no hope. But, I was able to work on Riley's baby book a little, since he's almost 5. He came up to me yesterday after looking at all the photos I pulled out of storage and said "Mom, was I born?" I thought, "Yeah. Time to get his book done."

Brian partied it up with Summer and Riley while we were gone. They cleaned the house for me (even the bathrooms! BROWNIE POINTS!), they went to McDonalds and got sundaes and brought the peanuts home for me, and raided a Redbox machine for all it was worth. Then, Brian took me out on the town for a little date. We ended up strolling through the Gateway mall in Salt Lake. It was nice to hold my sweetie's hand.

I spent most of the day transferring video from our camera onto the computer. We are one year late now getting Misty and Garrett and Mike and Christen's wedding videos done. (Sorry guys). Also, I went through all of my photos and calculated that I am almost 6 years behind in my scrapbooking! Ahhh! How will I ever catch up? I have four years worth of pictures that still need to be printed. This is starting to sound like a nightmarish story problem. (If Emily does 2 scrapbook pages a day, how long will it take her to catch up on her scrapbooking? A: Like 52 years!)

It was so wonderful to look at all those pictures and remember the last 10 years in a day. So many fun times. I swear my kids are cuter and funnier now looking back. Now that I'm not psycho crazy woman anymore. (Well, at least not as much).

Riley made dinner tonight. (Canned chicken noodle soup and rolls). He was very excited when we all had a picnic on the living room floor and said "1,2,3, THANK YOU RILEY!!!"

Yesterday the kids all made forts outside. They formed little gangs and tried to outdo the other kids' forts. It was a royal mess. They used pretty much everything in the garage and some stuff from the house. It rained in the afternoon, so they threw everything into the garage and then tried to set it all back up again. It took Brian and the kids about an hour to put everything away. I sat inside and worked on my hair clips :)

I did go grocery shopping yesterday though, so I wasn't a total bum. Although, I ran out of budget money and couldn't get ice cream. I don't know if there really is a point to life without ice cream. (Even if it is Western Family). Oh well.