Fun -n- friends

This week the kids and I have gotten to get to know a few more people and play and hopefully create some good friendships. Play dates with new people is always fun. Everyone is so nice and the kids enjoy themselves. Also, learned a little more about a homeschool philosophy that I had heard a little about before. Ever heard of a Thomas Jefferson Education? I like the philosophy so far and look forward to reading the books. Thanks to a new friend for introducing that to us again:)

Mallorie and Brianna made paper butterflies, at one craft-date, and then afterwards they all dug up worms! Well-rounded day, I say. Today we went for a playdate/picnic at a park near where we live. It was just us and another friend with kids, then it turned into a party with about 6 or more moms and their kids! Fun times! I love how there are so many people with the same interests in our little neighborhood!

And there are peaches!! The next big city over is called "Peach City"!

And.....I just realized that I got a sunburn on my face today! C'mon SPRING!!! Silly when you get excited over a sunburn, but that means there was sun:)

Stansel School of Elementary Excellence

.........aka home school! So, I just wanted to showcase a little bit of Mal's handwriting she did yesterday that I am well pleased {hate to use the word "proud"} with:


Mallorie said, "It should have said 'Mallorie likes to eat cake'"

I think she does so well when she puts her mind to it! Come to think of it, that's the exact phrase my teachers used to use. Hmmm... Brianna is saying new words everyday, just yesterday she said "Heavy" when trying to pick up a doll that was over half her size:) I should make a list of words that she says. If you see a sidebar pop-up with all the words she says, don't be surprised.
We decided tonight we would go see a movie as a family. Looking forward to it! This will be Brianna's first time at the movie theater! Will give a re-cap of the event for sure.
It has been snowing for 24 hours! Very pretty, but kinda prevents us from playing outside:( Brianna likes to occasionally go to the window and say, "I's 'nowing" {translation-It's snowing} It looks like "The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe" out there, that's what I keep thinking when I go outside!Just waiting to see a half man/half goat run out from behind a tree...HA!
Until next time...

Truly, a walk in the park.



"Alright!"as Bri would say. {sorry the resolution is crappy on the first couple, Joe had it set for taking pics of the car}




"Wee, this is fun! But wait, Mal is on a Big Girl swing! That looks like MORE fun!"




"Woo hoo, mom! Take a picture of me when I'm way high!!"




"Much better...didn't you know that was a baby swing, mama?"




"Spin us around in circles!"




"Look who's stuck in the port-hole!"-a shark tale




Then, Mal says, "Look Mom!!....

 


...there's the temple!!!!"
So, of course we had to take advantage of the scenery. Three beautiful little pieces of Heaven in one picture.

 Then, we went to McDonalds...Mallorie said she wasn't hungry and her stomach hurt. The stomach ache began after the last tire swing spinning adventure. After we get home, in the middle of this blog post, she commences to throwing up!! Poor thing, looks like she has daddy's motion sickness problem *sigh*. I think she is okay though...she said, "Now I'm starving" and is now eating her lunch. The little one was all tuckered out, and was asleep before we pulled out of the Mickey D's parking lot. All in all, just three gals having a great day; no complaints by me! 

Too Many Options

It has been a while since I have had so many {productive} options on what I could do with my day; our day. And with getting another car, even more options are opening up. I am confined to what's in walking/bus riding distance right now, but surprisingly this still provides so many options! Keeping myself and most importantly these kids entertained and educated is going to be a project in the making here for a while.

Mallorie has completed most of the Abeka kindergarten materials that we got at the end of last summer. We are working on cursive writing still(yes, Abeka starts this in kindergarten! we love it!), continuing writing her numbers to 100 for better penmanship, and re-reading all of her school books. She keeps asking for more math! She loves doing addition and subtraction and asked when we were going to learn division!! I honestly don't see it as far in the horizon as it normally should be. She really catches on to things fast!

Brianna of course, thinks the answer to every math question is "2!" It is neat that she knows when we are asking her a math question though!

Can't wait to get a school and crafts budget, and a schedule so we can get organized!!

{aren't they adorable? maybe I am a little biased}

Following in a BFF Blogger's footsteps.

MAIL CALL!

This is always so fun to read on her blog, so I thought "what the heck?!"...this might be a fun thing for me to start, too.

To my wonderful friend Marquesas-
I know you are sooo ready to meet your new little guy and it seems like it's being drawn out! I wish you all the best in labor and delivery. I know you will have wonderful company and a great medical crew and facility. God will also be with you and though I won't, I will be thinking of you tons. I love you and am so happy for you, more than words could express. Thank you for being there for me when I was about to go out of my mind before having Bri. Love you.

To my awesome, sweet, loving, and talented husband-
I love the way you smile. You light up a room when you do. I love the way you walk. I love the way you talk. Most importantly I love the way you love us. What would I have done if our lives had not crossed paths that one day? Luckily I never have to know.

To mom-
We miss you! Thanks for all the care packages! Sorry we haven't sent anything, have I ever been good at that?? *Okay so quarter-year resolution: Mail letters to family and friends.* We will try to get on a weekly routine! Hope to see you soon. Hope everything is going good for you. Love you, too!

To Mal and Bri-bear-
Thank you for being you. No matter what, no matter the mess, no matter the back talk, no matter the tantrums...I am glad you are you. You both have such sweet countenances and I'm so glad you are here with me.

To dad-
I hope I can do what is right for you. I hope you are not in much pain. I am sorry this happened to you and I love you. Hope for the best for you. You have not been forgotten.

Nate & Katie-
Thanks for all your hospitality and your friendship. Here's to many more fun times ahead. And more time at the gym, too. Can't forget that. ;o)

To both my sister-in-laws-
I am so excited for both of your new babies! Wish I could be there when they are born. Maybe we will see them sometime! It would be nice to get to be an Aunt Jenn! It will be funny if we ever have a boy, there will be 2 Jadons! Different spelling at least, right?! Great minds think alike.

Peeps in our new ward-
Thanks for everything. Thanks for helping us feel like we fit in. Thanks for showing us that stereotypes are not always right and the church is the same everywhere. Thanks for being down-to-earth. Just plain thank you.

To April 1st-
I was never good at lying, so I just never bonded with you. Why do we even celebrate you? Sorry, but I could go all year without you. Here's to an April Wise's Day. Let us do something good for someone and forget the foolishness. It's a good thought anyway.

To the last 20 lbs that won't leave me alone-
Why won't you find something else to pester? Do you like hindering my life? I know we have been together for awhile but I'm sure you will like it better somewhere else. It's not you; it's me. So please, let us part gracefully.

To Shelley, Fani, Lindsey, and Olivia-
Just wanted to say that you women are great and I think about y'all a lot. Maybe we will live close again one day and have a grand ole' time! Until then I'll enjoy blog-stalking, fb checking, and texting y'all. I keep up with y'all more than I actually talk to y'all. Weird how technology let's us do that. And kinda creepy. Miss you guys!!

To all the creeps-
Leave the blog-stalking to us decent people and find somewhere else to be.
Leave us alone.
Okay?
 Life is hard enough.

To people I left out but really think about alot-
Yes, you. Keep on keepin' on and don't hold it against me too long!

SAHM

I don't want to jump the gun, or jinx myself, or say something that I may have to retract....but right now I am so happy to be able to call myself a "SAHM"!!!

Stay at home mom!! Oh the possibilities!! So, I know I have alot of planning ahead of me, but...YAY, I have the opportunity to have alot of planning ahead of me!!

Now, all we need is to get our family and friends to move all around us and it would be a perfect world...*sigh* I know that is not happening so my next task is to make new friends, right?

Making new friends and getting to know people takes so long!! I am up for it, but will I ever find the same BFF's that I have back home? Surely there has to be people around here to appreciate a Jenn Beast and the Wild Stansel Clan. Oddly that sounds like a band name, hmmm. Well, I can say we move to the beat of a different drum:)

Sorry it has been so long since I posted on here for anyone that keeps up with this blog, but this is actually the first time I have had to sit down and think about blogging.

We will gladly accept any prayers on our behalf, and we continue to thank Heavenly Father for blessing us more than we could have expected. I hope all reading this out in the blogosphere are having a wonderful day and your dreams are being fulfilled, too.

Stay tuned, so much more to blog about!!

P.S. Joe, I am so happy for you and hope that you continue to enjoy your new job! Love you forever.

The One.

Question 7: Someone who has made your life worth living.