July Birthdays

 Joseph and Arwen are our July birthdays. Joseph is now 12 and Arwen 9!!! Joseph's birthday is exactly one week before Arwen's and so this year we happened to have two celebrations on Tuesdays. 

Joseph got a new computer game for his gift and definitely wanted to play all day, but he has still not lived down his birthday from two years ago where he asked for a complicated cake for dessert and pies for dinner and would not stop playing games to eat. Kate and I slaved all day in the kitchen and we were hungry and begging Joseph to get on  with his birthday dinner and kept saying he was not ready. So this year, he asked for homemade chicken pot pie and banana splits-- much easier. And he was not allowed to dictate everything we do, and he did complain that he will never live down that 10th birthday. 

At 12, Joseph is very conscientious and cares a lot about whether he is doing the right thing or not. He is always confessing to not paying attention to what he reads or whether or not he complained when he's asked to do something. We tell him not to worry so much, but at the same time, we're glad that he cares enough to be trying hard to live honestly and righteously. 

Arwen got 4 small dart guns and 100 spare foam darts to play cops and robbers with her siblings and said that was her favorite birthday gift. The kids have had fun with that. For dinner, Arwen chose stroganoff and ice cream sundays for dessert-- everything easy for her very pregnant mom. 

At 9 Arwen is is fun and capable and very smart. She is an excellent reader and is excelling in math this year. Arwen is able to solve some of the more difficult word problems that her siblings could not. She may be our next math genius. We'll see. Arwen loves to play American girl dolls with her sisters. She likes to have tea parties with Sam and Susan. She loves to color and draw and of course play minecraft. Arwen thinks that Gideon is adorable and hugs and fawns over him everyday. I expect she will be in love with the new baby too. Arwen is smart and pleasant and fun to be around and very reliable. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSEPH AND ARWEN!!

The Family at Home and July Happenings

 While the big girls and Gideon and I went to Palmyra, John stayed home with the rest of the kids. We got home to a cleaned house, even clean bathrooms, and dinner. The kids said that they had a really good week with Dad. Joshua told me that it was probably the best week because he got to stay up until sunrise playing video games with all of the boys. They also liked that I had left them with easy frozen meals and some treats like those large muffins and apple turnovers and granola bars. Anya said that she was fine and the pigeon slept with her so that she was not lonely being the only girl left in her bedroom. Sam said that he had fun with dad. I'm glad that my kids adore their dad as much as they do and that John, Johnny, and Adam worked to make sure we came home to a clean and happy house. 

For the 4th of July, we had some fun water games with water balloons and squirt guns, complained about the loss of liberty in our nation, and read Joseph Smith's writings on government. But we did not take any pictures. 

The next day was Monday and we started our new school year. We started a month early because we plan to take off three weeks once the baby is born and one more week to clean the yard up for the winter in October or November when the weather is cool and nice. 

This school year we are reading a ton and doing other things like art, sewing, and computer programming. We have math, but no workbooks. Arwen told me that she really likes how we are doing school this year but did not like it so much last year. Adam and Joseph have to work on paying attention to what they read. That is a struggle for them. Sam is learning his alphabet quickly and his chubby little 4 year old hands are beginning to form his letters. But his favorite part of school is reading lots of picture books. Susan is getting in lots of reading time both with me and without me and is doing much better this year. She needed hours of reading more than workbook work. Rachel and Anya seem to be doing fine and are reasonably happy. Though Rachel prefers all free time. 

I have been preparing for the baby. I finally got the boys some very necessary haircuts. Arwen says that she likes them better with long hair but I think that they all look a lot better and less shaggy. I have some diapers and baby clothes washed and pads and perry bottles and other things that we need ready. I still need to wash out the baby car seat and figure out what to do about a bed. 

I suspect the next post that I write will be a birth announcement and story. 

Rachel loved all the squirrels and bunnies we saw on our trip

Our Trip to Palmyra and Kirtland

 

The Smith family log 

Ruth, Kate. Rachel, Gideon, and I went to see the church history sites in Palmyra, NY and Kirtland, OH. The drive was long and hard but being in these holy places where God and Christ and angels and ancient and modern prophets. It was wonderful to walk where Joseph Smith walked and where he received the golden plates. We had a wonderful trip. 

We were lucky to get a very affordable hotel room near Rochester,  NY with a mini kitchen so we ate cheaply and very well and slept well and did not put too much stress on my pregnant body. 

On the Smith Family Farm in Palmyra

The Palmyra Temple overlooking the Sacred Grove

a room in the frame home that Alvin Smith built where some translation of the Book of Mormon began

kitchen in the Smith frame home

kitchen sink

original fireplace and bricks where Joseph hid the golden plates

Original Frame Home built by Alvin Smith and where Joseph first brought the golden plates

beside the Sacred Grove

In the Sacred Grove

kitchen at the Whitmer Farm where the Church was organized and the first meeting was held.

Whitmer log home-- rebuilt

First Temple of this Dispensation a lot happened within these sacred walls

Inside the Whitney Store

Upstairs at Whitney Store many D&C Revelations were received at this original table

School of the prophets was held here

kirtland saw mill built and run to build the temple

he was done and playing dead