Miner Adventures

Our latest adventure involved the whole family, and a new--to--us bus!  

We flew with just carry-on's to Seattle, WA. 

Three changes of clothes and necessary toiletries. 

C wanted to sit with Daddy in the back most of the flight, but he was in the back of the plane, infants aren't allowed.  Had great flight attendants though, gave us extra food and coloring books and pins. 

Uncle T picked us up and we spent a wonderful Memorial Day with family.  The kids were sooooooo excited to see the cousins; although some of them were sick and quarantined to the basement the first day.  Uncle T graciously painted the bus for us, and helped remove excess bunks/tables/benches.  Auntie M is a saint for allowing it! :) I was very grateful to arrive and have beds already set up for us. (flying red eyes out of AK is killer)  

Don't let this picture fool you, they live in a suburb with lots of houses, very close together, at the end of a cul de sac.. I am in awe of his parking skills!  

The layout for now: four bunks, with a small one in the very back, that later converted to luggage storage, queen airbed and seven benches with a few tables. Those rings were used by the prior owners for fishing poles.  I used it to hang shoes. 

Our First Mission: Stock the newly bought bus. A full day of shopping for tools, coolers, camping stove, etc. And Groceries.  Mommy's no good at planning meals and groceries for camping.  I bought too much and seemed like all the wrong stuff.  

Then Dinner with Auntie S, Uncle Tim and Auntie M and the cousins, dutch oven style.  Delicious! Definitely need to get one for our family. 

Second Mission: Get said Bus registered and Titled. 

While the boys were away getting that done, we played and explored the neighborhood park.  It was a HOT day! They found all sorts of wonderful things, in the shade, snakes, bugs and berries that look like blackberries or raspberries, but weren't.  Huge trees and new trails.  

Then off on the adventure.... first stop Coeur d'Alene, ID.  

The first pass we had to get over was a bit challenging.  The bus would overheat, so we would pull over and take a few minutes to check out the scenery or climb the rocks or play in waterfalls. H climbed a rocky hillside that turned into very loose rock that left him with a huge bump on his arm and a gash on his nose and head from rocks falling on him... good one Mom ("H, think you can climb that?") 

 Third Mission: Bus Check at a shop just outside of Coeur d'Alene,

 make sure all things are running as they should. 

The kids and I played at a Kiwanis Park on the Spokane River most of the Day. 

After a day at the shop, we were able to meet up with a wonderful friend and her family from College.  The kids hit it off and played for a bit.  Then back on the Road.  

Oh yeah,  P man started the trip off with a nice Dino cast.  

Small fracture on the tip of his radial bone...so hard to keep him out of the water! 

How you ask???  Well big brother ran him over with his bike.  I guess in all fairness, P man did run in front of the bike and said older brother couldn't stop.  

 Next Stop: Sugar City, ID.

  Arrived late night/early morning hours.  Spent the Day with Great Grandparents, exploring city parks and getting some school work done.  Laundry Day. (They fell in the Spokane River with their clothes on, because we didn't bring the swim suits.) 

Pictures got out of order, this was our first night in the bus, well H's second, but they were all really excited. 

The Snake the kids found in Sultan WA at Uncle T and Auntie M's. 

By far one of my favorite stops along the way to Coeur d'Alene was just outside of Leavenworth, WA.  It's the cutest little German town.  We bought a 10lb bag of apples for like $5, Honeycrisp!  It was fantastic.  AND they had the funnest little carnival games for free, and tractors to climb on and other great things for the kids to get out and do to burn off steam.

 Sugar City, ID waiting for Daddy to wake up for breakfast. At Grandparents house. 

It was a great start, beautiful scenery, wonderful family and friends.  

Second Installment of Adventure to follow tomorrow. :) 

Miner Moments

Hopefully I didn't make a New Year's Resolution to keep up to date on this blog! 

So Sorry Grandma and Grandpa P!  

Since last we posted, here are a list of things we have been doing:
Home School: Lydia is reading very well, half way through our 100 easy lessons book,

Henry is cruising through everything, I just started him on 4th grade math and "The Adventures of  Huckleberry Finn," Elizabeth just finished AMP testing to find that the state canceled all tests because of "glitches" in the system. She has begun reading "A Tale of Unfortunate Events," and has read through it faster than any book ever!  I am grateful this series has 13 books! 

Porter hates to be left out, so he's beginning reading lessons also

We started a science project of planting seeds for our garden.  A comparison of planting pots and how the seeds grow in each. 

History has been focused on US History.  We finished a section on Slavery and are moving into the Civil War, I know, we are moving at a snails pace!  

Swimming Lessons: Lydia is learning quickly but mostly it looks like she's "actively drowning" most of the time.  Henry is in level 3 and it's fun to watch him progress.  Now to conquer treading ( it's hard when you're all skin and bones!) 

Elizabeth loves swimming and is working on mastering the many swim strokes and wants to be on the swim team some day. 

I am attending Institute every Thursday and loving it!! Mom needs education too! 

This year we are studying "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" 

Tuesdays are ART CLASS.  Elizabeth and Henry are loving it and getting so much better at art and expressing themselves through art. 

Here are some moments captured in photograph.  With out the camera I would forget so much!! 

Dr. Seuss's Birthday Ice Skate Party

Dress as your favorite Character 

Henry: The Grinch

Elizabeth: Betty Lou? 

Lydia: Olivia.. Not a Dr Seuss Character, a pig that loves to wear red. But I figured she looked like the Cat's Hat. :) 

 Here are some of the starts.  We have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, and peas and beans.  Very excited about the garden this year.

 Spring break was AWESOME!!! We didn't get any snow this winter, until spring break.  It dumped on us and we thoroughly enjoyed it for the week.  Monday it all melted. :)  I swear Alaska is going tropical! Thank you El Nino!

 Mommy had a birthday!  Spent the day with our best friends riding bikes and eating treats!  It was a wonderful day!

 And here are some of the cucumbers and tomatoes we transplanted at the beginning of March.  They are growing so quickly!  These ones were started in the Jiffy Pellets. They do grow well.  Our only concern was the mesh restricting the roots, so we peeled it back to hopefully allow them room to grow.

Henry had his 8TH BIRTHDAY!!!!

It was a great weekend of Easter Egg hunts and games.  Henry's birthday fell on Easter this year.  Our family read through the last week of Christ's Life in the New Testament all week.  It made Easter so much more wonderful, education and amazing!  The kids really enjoyed it and it helped prepare them for a lesson in Primary about the JOY that we feel as we talk of the empty tomb.  He is not here, HE IS RISEN!!!  I almost sent the Primary kids home with an empty egg to symbolize the empty tomb, but I figured they wouldn't find much joy in that.  So I sent them home with three pieces of candy and a strip of paper that reminded them of the joy of the empty tomb.  It was an amazing lesson, and a wonderful Easter.  We also informed the Easter Bunny that all things candy and egg related would remain on Saturday, so we could focus on the Savior and his great sacrifice and resurrection on the Sabbath. It worked well! I love when my kids can grasp the great meaning of the gospel, in spite of the world's influence all around them. 

 Lydia's birthday followed! It wasn't as exciting for her... Daddy and Henry were in Seattle doing a 5 year Transplant Check up. :) That's exciting to type and read!!! But we did get some new toys and make a cake together and then follow up with movies and dinner on Saturday when the boys got home. 5 years old already and beautiful and spunky and amazingly loving!

 She helped design and create the cake, although she only ate the frosting and skittles! Silly kids don't like cake. :) Just a tub of icing next time I swear!

Porter got his own space ship!  And boy was he excited!!! They have played in it until it's completely flat! :)  Love watching their minds imagine and create!

 The first mosquito bite of the year! Poor thing! 

And Calvin! Oh this boy! He is giving me a run for my money!  He loves to be inside small spaces?! He loves to cuddle and get into everything!  He is a pretty picky eater, but growing quickly.  Except the brown eyes he's the spitting image of his big brother! His part in school work is to get into and dump out as much as he can while Mom is helping the other kids.  I completely understand he just wants attention... but I'm hoping he gets through this stage quickly!!

 And our greatest Moment this year: Henry's Baptism.  My heart was full and bursting with joy!  He has been told from the time he was a baby that he would be a great Missionary.  I know the Lord has a great work for him to do!  This last week they went to Seattle and he's extremely healthy and strong!  He still has high iron but we are working on a solution.  Options include phlobotomy, shots or pills.  Henry votes for the pill.  I'm a bit scared of side effects, but really it's the least invasive and after years of shots and blood draws I think it is the best option.  Regardless I am in awe of the Lords work and his mighty power.  I know he has a plan for us and I know we can trust Him.  I know he lifts us in our times of trial and carries us through, if we seek Him.  I know he suffered all things, so he understands all things, all sorrow, all heartache, all sickness, all things unfair.  He is the only one that perfectly understands and the only one that can perfectly support and help us through the trials of this life.  8!!!!  And AMAZING!

A Christmas/ New Year Letter ??

Holiday Cheer

The Hubby actually wrote a Christmas Letter this year.... it's still on my computer.  Mommy has a problem with follow through.  It will be included in the next post.

We have had a busy and wonderful Christmas Season.  Church and work Christmas parties, cookie days and sickness... of course.  It wouldn't be Christmas time with out it. 

We decided to read the book of John all month, and were thus able to enjoy not only the birth of our Savior, but his life and his example. The kids have enjoyed it so much we decided to finish the four gospels before returning to the Book of Mormon for our family Scripture study.  It added a wonderful spirit to our Christmas Season. 

Our good friend and close neighbor (literally, on the other side of the wall) and her boyfriend bough gifts for all the kids and we had a wonderful day of games and laughter. We really have been blessed with amazing and wonderful friends in our lives!

 Christmas Day was crazy and wonderful also.  An explosion of wrapping paper and ''stuff" filled the house, Daddy tried to control the chaos to no avail... silly Daddy.  And then we were able to go visit this wonderful lady, my Grandmother.  We have been so blessed to have her close by.  The kids love to go visit with her; reading stories and singing songs and being silly with her.  She will celebrate her 90th birthday this year! 

 New Years was a party at friends, with an "early" ball drop ;) The kids were unimpressed with the ball drop.  We will revisit the count down next year.  Perhaps it will require some good ol' pots and pans on the porch.  Mommy and Daddy have been on a "diet"  trying to get healthy and in shape, It was sort of a "cheat day,"  but still healthy.  We played games and had so much fun just being with friends.  They even bought chips and dip for me because that was something my family did every year growing up.  I'm telling you we have wonderful friends in our lives!!! 

 Our favorite family activity these days though... NERF WARS!  I am pretty sure the adults have more fun than the kids.  Daddy is teaching us how to "Clear" a house and find the bad guy.  We have contests, the bad guy just has to take out one "good guy" before we get the "bad guy."  I'm pretty sure we are ready for anything! :) Although our next door neighbors got bigger guns for Christmas... now we have Nerf envy. But the battles are still so much fun!  There are bullets in everything.  Families are strengthened and maintain through "wholesome" activities.  I am sure NERF wars are wholesome.  The baby is pretty good at it, he runs around the house daily in a diaper with nerf gun in hand.

We have had such a wonderful year.  Homeschooling has been such a great blessing these past two years.  I hope that my children are being edified and enriched.  Daddy has taken a job "off the street" and does more investigating these days.  Which leads to a "normal" work schedule.  A position he has eagerly sought after.  My favorite aspect of this past year has been the ponderizing we have done as a family.  The kids are learning a new scripture every week, it has increased the spirit in our home and lead to invaluable opportunities to teach them the gospel.  How grateful I am for a loving Father in Heaven and Elder Brother who are constantly watching over us and strengthening us.  What a blessing and privilege it is to be a Mother and to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.  There is great peace and harmony and joy that come only from following our Savior, from seeking after him, following Him, and doing His will.  May the new year bless each of you and bring a greater desire to follow Him and share his light with everyone around you.  Much Love from US.

Family Fun

"Motherhood is joyful. It is exciting, challenging, and fun; it demands all our best efforts. Motherhood is creation of children and of the homes to nurture them in. Motherhood is partnership with husbands and the Lord. May we all catch a glimmer of the splendor we can create in our own outposts of the kingdom of God."

Petrea Kelly

 

 

 

Here are a few pictures to play some catch up for the Grandparents, whom I neglect too often! :) We miss and Love you Grandpa and Grandma Great!

 

School in our house includes hatching baby chicks! So far we have three hatched and three more breaking through.  We are sooooooo excited.  I will have pictures in a day or two.

 

 

Halloween this year was Narnia themed. E was Susan, H was Peter, L was Lucy and P was Edmond.  They are in love with the series.  It was a fun crazy weekend with cousins and extras too.

 

Pumpkin Carving FHE

 

 

Didn't want to forget the cute elephant.  I thought he would hate the costume, but he loved it! Wore it all night and got really mad at Mom when she tried to remove it for bed time.

 

 

Another School project the kids have finished up. James and the Giant Peach Diorama.  I actually don't ever remember reading this book growing up.  It was really fun to read with the kids. 

This is E's

 

H's Diorama

 

 

One of my best students :)

And here are some pictures from our family vacation this fall.  It was the best family vacation yet!

Thomas Family Mini Reunion.

 

A trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats after some heavy rain.  It was incredible!

 

A hike up the Menan Butte's

 

Visit with the Great Grandparents! H left his shoes behind just so we could go back and see them again. :) Well played H!

 

Our first trip to Lagoon. What a blast!  The kids had so much fun.

 

My parents are serving a Mission in Salt Lake in the Family History Mission.  They live right across the street from the Conference Center.  It was the best view!  We toured different parts of Temple Square every day.

We LOVED being in down town Salt Lake.  We walked to the Capitol Building, hiked Ensign Peak, explored the Mall, the Splash pads and many more wonderful things.  We are anxious to return.  E says she will live there some day!  I Loved running up the street to Ensign peak in the morning. About 45 minutes up and 15 down!  haha I am not a strong hill runner!  What a view!  It is so filled with the history of the church and the spirit of the Lords work; it's hard not to enjoy it.

 

Our most recent family hike, Reflections Lake.

E was enjoying friends at her old school Halloween Party.

Even though they don't look like they are enjoying it, they really had fun. I promise!