Adventures with the Ross Family

Can you guess what we have been up to?  Yup, the "pfooool" as Julie calls it!  And we have had a blast.  Yesterday was our first day to go and both Julie and Jax were a little hesitant in the water at first.  Julie hung onto me the whole time and I felt like one of those monkeys who carry their babies on their backs.  But today, Jax was all over the place without his floaty (in the shallow end) and little Julie is swimming up a storm with the help of her floaty. 

Meanwhile, I've been working on my tan and Justin is catching up on his reading.  The best part of the pool is when we come home and the kids are tuckered out and ready for bed!  It's so easy to put them to bed without having them get up a million times for "another drink of water."

And even after swimming for four hours today, poor little Julie cried when I told her we needed to go home.  She was having THAT much fun!

Getting up early is not my strong suit so when I woke up bright and early Monday morning to get Jax ready and off to Preschool I might have complained a little bit in my head.

But when I picked him up after school, I knew that I could get up early for him because he LOVES it.

They are learning about bugs this month.  This is right up his alley!  He loves the art station and circle time.  And his teachers are so sweet.  He told me the other day that he was so happy that his teachers knew his name!  So far this week, they have learned about "Long Daddies" (aka Daddy Long Legs-he mixes up the name which is funny), ants, and grasshoppers.  And he has brought plenty of art home as well!

Meanwhile, Julie and I have been playing a lot of dolls, princesses, etc.  It's a far cry from Star Wars and Angry Birds.  She loves the one on one time with Justin and I.  And I realized that Julie plays really quietly when Jax is at school.  I didn't know that was possible!

And while I may be a teeny tiny bit glad that the weekend is coming so I can sleep in just a little bit longer, Jax is pretty annoyed that he has to take a two day break before he can go back.  I'd say that means he had a pretty great week at school!

Last month, Justin took Jax to a WWE wrestling event last month.  And while he DID NOT like the indoor fireworks (too loud!) he loved wrestling and joined the crowd to cheer on the good guys.

Before they went to their seats, Jaxson tested out his strength. 

He was instantly interested into the matches and wanted to know all about the wrestlers.  His favorite was Mark Henry who he called "Strong Man."  I guess Mark Henry tried to pull a semi-truck and to a five year old boy-that's pretty cool.

Here Jax is cheering with the crowd.  The picture isn't great but you get the idea that as long as fireworks didn't go off.

And now, Jax watches wrestling with Justin every week:

He even spent some of his hard earned money on wrestling toys!  Now he has several figures, a wrestling ring, and even a SLAM-bulance for the wrestlers to crash into!

He couldn't wait until Daddy got home that evening so they could play wrestling!

I'm thankful that Jax has expanded his interests now and I'm not only hearing about Angry Birds and Star Wars.  And there is one big rule about wrestling....boys don't wrestle girls...specifically-Julianne!

Goal check up for May!

Financial

Buy a 2nd car.  (Done in February.  I did not think we would accomplish this one so fast!) 

School

Plan out the year for Tot School with Jaxson and Julianne.  (I took a break from Tot School and have decided that Jax is done with it.  It's too easy for him.  Plus, he's going to Preschool in June and doesn't need it.  I'll work with Julie when he's at Preschool.)

Home Management

Use Little Green Notebook's cleaning schedule and stick to it!  (This is working great.)

Weekly:

Vacuum

Mop

Clean bathrooms

Monthly

Dust (I didn't get to this.)

Clean oven/microwave  (I didn't get to this either.)

Spot clean walls and carpets  (I didn't get to this.)

Personal

Books

Here is the list I want to read.  I'm shooting under the table because if I finish this list, I can ADD MORE. 

Erasing Hell by Francis Chan

The Fitting Room by Kelly Minter

Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin (Read in March.  It was so good!)

Holy Parenting by Benjamen Kerns

Is the Bible True?:  How Modern Debates and Discoveries Affirm the Essence of the Scriptures by Jeffrey L. Sheler (Read in February.  This was super interesting!)

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Michal: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith (I started this.  It's an easy read.)

Sticky Faith by Kara Powell

A Taste of Heaven by R.C. Sproul

Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews

Understanding Your Young Teen by Mark Oestreicher

The Year of Living Biblically:  One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs (Read in January.  This was really funny!) 

Books read at Bonhoeffer Babe's Book Club:

Life of the Beloved:  Spritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J. M. Nouwen  (Read in January.  This was ok.)

A Hole in the Gospel:  What does God Expect From Us?  The Answer That Changed My Life and Just Might Change the World by Richard Sterns  (I actually read this last year!  I think it will bring some great discussion.)  I didn't read it this time around.

Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott (read in March)

Books I've added:

Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst (Read in May.  I really liked this book.  There were some really excellent points to it.)

Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst (I'm reading this now and am really enjoying it.  I like her style of writing.)

Bible Study time

Memorize the entire book of James.  (I've memorized to 5:6.  I'm on chapter 5....the last chapter!)

Study the book of Luke with the Mars Hill podcasts. (Done.  January-March)

Watch Doctrine series with Mars Hill podcasts. (Done.  April)

Watch Redeeming Ruth with Mars Hill podcasts.  (Done. April)

Watch Nehemiah with Mars Hill podcasts.  (Done. May)

Watch Ephesians with Mars Hill podcasts. (Done. May.)

Watch Trial (1 and 2 Peter) with Mars Hill podcasts. (I'm starting this now.)

Read the entire Bible chronologically.  I'm using this plan. (I'm in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Psalms.  I'm loving the mix of different of literature right now!)

We attended a wedding last weekend so that meant it was time to dress up!  Here are some pictures I managed to get of us:

This by far is my favorite sequence of pictures.  I told Jax to get closer to Julie and he put his arm around her.  She was just not having that!

It was a beautiful wedding in Old Salem.  And beautiful weather too!

I went to Target and found their $1 section was 70% off.  I been checking out the spring stuff-seedlings and stuff.  And for 30 cents each, I decided I just might try my hand at gardening.  So far, Jax and I are doing tomato container gardening, but only because we received the seeds for free at Lowe's.  My hopes aren't set too high on the tomatoes.  Sure, they are growing great!  But we have to factor in the squirrels.  I figure that we may just end up growing fresh tomatoes for them instead of us.  The squirrels are quite the little "swipers."

Anyways back to the $1 section.  I ended up picking up some poppy, daisy, cilantro, and sweet basil.  They must be pretty easy to grow since the packaged guaranteed that the seeds would actually grow.  So we will see.  I don't exactly have a green thumb.

Jax enjoyed helping me and but when I opened up the poppy seed packet I couldn't believe how small the seeds were!  I think I put the seeds in the planter.  Poor Jax really wanted to help "plant" those seeds but they were too tiny for him.  Luckily, cilantro seeds are pretty big so he got the job done!

Now if only the sun would come out.  The instructions say to put them in a warm, sunny place.  I haven't seen the sun in a while-hopefully humid/rainy/cloudy conditions will do!

Have you ever had a day where the kids just couldn't mind?  After their quiet time, I took them outside to play.  But they argued and whined.  Julie kept wanting to go in the front and we were playing in the back.  It was 90 degrees out.  I wasn't having the best of time and it seemed neither were the kids. 

So we came inside and I thought they would play with their toys.  Instead, they ran around and fought.  And made a mess of toys, but didn't play.  It was driving me nuts.

And this is where I insert that I was drinking some NC Cherry Soda (aptly named Cheerwine) and I started feeling like if "wine" was in the name, they should probably put some in the drink!  Ha!

Anywho, I decided that I want my kids to sit in one place.  Eureka!  I had an idea.  I needed to return a library book this week and suddenly, I decided it had to be today.  Because I knew that if I put the kids in the car (with snacks and milk) they would sit and eat..meaning they would sorta behave. 

And that's exactly what I did.  It was a slice of heaven for 30 minutes.  Now I should mention that the library is only 10 minutes away.  But I took the longest route-and then some.  And it worked.  They snacked and behaved.  I got a little bit of the break I needed.  

Sometimes you just have to do what works.  But don't come to me for any parenting advice.  I feel as if I have sunk to a new low.  

In other news, I came across this at Walmart the other day and it was hit with Justin. 

He loves Key Lime Pie, I'm pretty indifferent to it.  But I did like the cookies.  Of course, the kids didn't.  It was "too sour" as Jax puts it. 

And lastly, the purse organization struggle still continues.  It's supposed to look like this:

(Notice the missing purse?)

Oh-here it is.  In the Mr. Potato Head bin.  That really makes sense.

Well, there's not much to report here.  I've been busy working on organizing and Spring Cleaning the house.  Yes, it feels like it's been taking forever.  But I've been in the mood and I try to move where the {Spring Cleaning} spirit takes me.  Which is space saving bags and command hooks!  Slowly, very slowly, the closets are looking better.  I'm loving the challenge over at Money Saving Mom.  It helps to keep me on track.

My self-appointed task this week was to organize Julie's closet.  I've decided that I want to hang her purses on command hooks so she can reach them and use them when needed.  (Which is all the time, apparently.)  She took one look at her purses lined up and told me no.  Then she took every purse down and put them in one of her toy bins.  So I explained to her that you can see them on the hooks!  and you can find one in a moments notice! and look how cool they are on the hooks!  To which she looked at me and said no again.  But I persevered and hung them back up.  Twenty minutes later I went back into her room and the purses were missing yet again.  And back in their unorganized state in her Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head toy bin. 

I can't help but think that this incident can not bode well for me when she is older.  Let's say...a teenager!  Yikes!

Meanwhile, we are gearing up for Jax to head to a summer session of preschool.  There's been some crazy excitement about going away for three hours-playing and learning...oh! And I'm sure Jax is excited too.  I kid.  Kinda.

He's just very ready to go out into the world and start being more independent from his family.  Which is sad that we are wrapping up the baby/toddler/preschool phase of his life and starting a new one.  And yet, it's exciting.  Tonight he gets to go over to his school and have popsicles on the playground. I love that each month the PTA puts on an event for the rising Kindergartners.  So smart!

This morning I overheard him talking to himself about school.  (He still has no internal dialogue at times.)  He was saying that after he is too big for Kindergarten, then it's 1st grade, then 2nd grade, then 3rd grade, then 4th grade, then 5th grade, then 6th grade, then 7th grade, then 8th, grade, then 9th grade, then 10th grade, then 11th grade, then 12th grade.  Then he commented, "Man, that's a lot!"  I didn't have the heart to tell him that he may also need to go to a college of some sort!

And last, but not least...it's Justin's birthday today!  After work, we plan on heading out to dinner.  I'm thinking BBQ unless Justin has something else in mind.  (But really, who turns down good BBQ?)

Well, off to make some Key Lime Cookies (Eh?  Not sure how those will turn out, but it's Justin's favorite pie) and Vanilla Cupcakes.  Because according to Jax, you have to have cake for birthdays!

This new blog website doesn't have the strike through font just yet.  I didn't realize I would miss something little like that...

Personal:

(Done.)  Read from May 5th-May May 12th with this Bible Reading Plan.

(Done.  Highly recommend!)  Finish Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.  (I'm halfway through and it's really good!)

(I've started this.  It's funny.  Just like her blog.)  Start Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle (I've heard rave reviews about this book.)

(Tot) School:

(Nope.)  Organize Letter Ee for this week

(Nope.)  Plan Letter Ff

Home Making:

(Done.)  Follow along with Money Saving Mom's Clutter-Busting Challenge.  Get rid of 7 items each day.  

(No.)  Dust

Misc:

(Done.)  Mail two items at the Post Office.  (Anyone else dread going to the Post Office like me?)

(Done.)  Plan James 4 Sunday School Lesson

(Done.)  Send out Email for JOY Sunday School Class

And onto this weeks goals:

Personal:
Read from May 13th-May May 19th with this Bible Reading Plan.
Finish Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle (I've heard rave reviews about this book.)
Start Michal (The Wives of King David) by Jill Eileen Smith

Home Making
Follow along with Money Saving Mom's Clutter-Busting Challenge.  Get rid of 7 items each day.
Dust
 
Misc:
Send out Email for JOY Sunday School Class
Organize Julie's closet

I'm back to goal making again.  This last month I had to switch my blog over to a new company.  Annoying, but I should be staying put at this one now!

Personal:

Read from May 5th-May May 12th with this Bible Reading Plan.

Finish Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.  (I'm halfway through and it's really good!)

Start Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle (I've heard rave reviews about this book.)

(Tot) School:

Organize Letter Ee for this week

Plan Letter Ff

Home Making:

Follow along with Money Saving Mom's Clutter-Busting Challenge.  Get rid of 7 items each day.  

Dust

Misc:

Mail two items at the Post Office.  (Anyone else dread going to the Post Office like me?)

Plan James 4 Sunday School Lesson

Send out Email for JOY Sunday School Class