More Smiles, Less Stress

I'm not gonna lie--sometimes the pathway and lifestyle that Nate and I have chosen for our family is super demanding and causes us to feel rather strung out.  It's not bad all of the time, of course.  But, Nathan is a fully engaged business owner--smart, dedicated, and hard-working; and I am a non-flaky homeschooling mother of four exceptionally talented children--well-organized, earnest, and busy.  We work A LOT and we hardly ever take breaks or vacations.  We're pretty tapped out already!  And can you guess what we decided to do?

We bought a school.  Yup.  Because you can only add to or multiply our kind of crazy, not subtract from or divide it.

Let me sum up: I have been observing for some time Chase's maturity and rapid progress in his education, and noting as well that Avery is not too far behind him.  So, I have been praying and searching for the inspiration and guidance to know how to advance their studies in the best way possible for them.  Our work in the past has been very effective, but I can sense that the older children's needs are changing, and I need to adjust along with them.

So, when a note came across one of my homeschool network message boards which mentioned the Glenn J Kimber Academy (a private school headquartered in Utah), something about it caught my eye.  I started studying.  I liked what I saw.  I knew I was in the process of praying for a good opportunity, so I couldn't ignore my good feelings about this.  I studied some more.  I requested more information.  I invited Nathan to check it out with me.  We prayed, studied, asked a million questions, went to the temple, talked it over together, examined our finances, etc.  And all of this pointed to just one thing: we needed to buy a franchise of this school and open a location in our area.

The menu at the top of this blog includes more information about the school under the tab titled, "Our School."  Check it out!  Bottom line: at the end of December, we officially became owners of the Glenn J Kimber Academy Denver North.  This school will become the new school for our children (along with our studies at home) and for whoever we can recruit to join us, beginning in the fall of 2014.

We're very excited, because this is an excellent school and great opportunity for our children.  BUT...we needed a major new project to manage about as much as we needed the stomach flu on Christmas Day.  How can we fit a new business--a private school, no less--into our already busy lives?

Well, we're going for it based completely on love and faith, and that's the truth.  I admit that I have been living with really high anxiety this whole month because I have been so nervous about how we are going to make this work.  But slowly, slowly, I am learning and gaining confidence in it.  I really do believe that we'll pull it off, even though I have no idea how.  We're just taking steps in the dark, and hoping we'll find our pathway lighting up ahead of us as we go.

Meanwhile, I have been trying to overcome the stress so as not to let it poison our daily lives by focusing on reasons to smile and recognizing blessings as they come.  My mantra has been "More Smiles, Less Stress!"  And I think it's helping.  So, now I will share a few pictures that are here for no other reason than to help me keep smiling.  How can I not smile when I'm so very blessed?

The Many Faces of Trey Becoming A Potty Pro.  Yes, we have been in the process of our final round of potty training.  Not my favorite parenting duty!  But, this little champ is doing great!  Except for the pooping on the toilet part.  *Sigh!*  These pictures were all taken one evening when we were giving it our best shot without much success.  Ah, well!  I'm sure we'll manage to straighten it all out before he leaves on his mission.  And you've got to admit--that picture on the lower left side of this collage is FUNNY!!!!!

And here's a little reminder of one of the BEST parts of potty training.  These pants were made to cover up a bulky diaper.  The Big Boy Underwear causes the waistline to droop a bit, giving us a little flash or those adorable baby buns!!!  This is cute at 2 years old...but NOT at 12...and especially not at 42...just so you know!

This kid is just a kick in the pants!  You know that stage when you tell them to "smile" for a photo, and they do their best to oblige by sending an army of electrochemical signals from their brains to their facial muscles...and THIS is what you get.  Ohhhhhh, aidez-moi!  He kills me!  Ha!

Now, that's more like it, Mr. Bright Eyes.

Playing together.  It's in his DNA, I guess!

And hers, too!

Courtney's Dees-guise Glasses

I sneaked a picture of this handsome young man during a Youth fireside at which he played the piano for the opening and closing hymns (he did a marvelous job, by the way).  This was the first time I sat next to my son and actually felt...small.  He's growing so fast!

And here's one of the reasons he is growing so fast.  Check out the enormous sandwich he prepared for his lunch!  And because of his braces (OH!  Did I not mention his braces yet????) he had to cut it up into itty bitty pieces with a knife so that he could eat it.  Now, that's a hungry boy!

Avery makes his own lunches, too.  This sandwich is not as big as the one Chase made, but it's a pretty hearty meal.  But I mostly like this picture because he is just so DARN CUTE!!!

Who took this picture?  My hair...breaking off because of the color treatment and dry, dry Colorado winter air...and sticking straight up on top.  Haha!  But, at least I was smiling!

This little darling has got her Creative on this year!  Every day it seems there is a new project.  This one shows her with a little extra bling in her hair.

And this one shows how she used an old t-shirt and made it look like a wrapped present.  How cute is that?

Avery's t-shirt project: a mountain and moon and stars image on an old t-shirt.  Pretty cool!

Ah, yes.  This picture was taken on the day we did a math lesson which explained that the fractional equation we were studying would be useful in "real life applications."  This was followed by practice word problems involving gnomes in a magical forest and ghosts hiding in the fog.  Face palm!!!!

Self Portrait!

Just CUTE!

And here is Trey's self portrait.  A little off center, but still...!

She's getting to be a pro!  Here she is making her own Creamy Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese.  She adds her own special flair with two kinds of cheese and lots of black pepper.  That's my girl!

This boy's favorite thing to do is to join in on the morning chores.

He really is VERY serious about it!

And now, I'm also going to add a few pictures that share some of the other activities we have been up to in January.  This includes Chase getting braces and Avery (and Dad!) winning a prize at Pack Meeting, and a few other things!

There is just something about these pictures of Trey playing with his letter puzzles that he got for Christmas that just makes my heart tingle.  I LOVE to see him learn!

Just LOOK at that face!  He is ever so earnest in his studies!

Doing good, Buddy!

Ah!  What a cutie!

 

Our firstborn on the day he got his braces!  Wait, wasn't he just born last week?  He's doing well with the adjustment to wearing them and keeping them clean.  And he's still a good-looking guy!

For Pack Meeting this month, there was a Fathers and Sons cake decorating contest.  Here, these two handsome guys were baking their cake together.  Moms were not allowed to help.  Why did Avery look so skeptical about this?

Showing us their finished product at the Pack Meeting.

They had to use the decorating materials provided by the scout leaders.  Their cake had a nature theme, including a fossilized skeleton of an allosaurus next to a river and trees.  Cool, huh?

Avery is proudly showing their prize for "Most Creative."  Nice going, guys!

As you can see, we have enjoyed lots of happy times sprinkled within the stress of entering a new direction in our family life.  More Smiles, Less Stress!