Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

Am I smarter than a fifth grader...the answer is quite simple...no, I am not. I won't even pretend that I am. There was a time in my life where I could say with confidence that yes I would be at least that smart. I really am baffled that I have a Bachelor's of Science degree and really I had a high GPA - something seriously has happened to me over the last 9 years. I no longer have any retention of knowledge, I have a superb vocabulary of made up words, and my most frequent response to questions asked to me by my seven year old daughter is, "That is an amazing question, I don't know the answer!"

I'll tell you what I think has happened, with each pregnancy each baby has taken a portion of me. Eden, I firmly believe took all my smarts! Jack, all my strength. Emry, my charm as well as my orneriness (okay, she didn't take all of the orneriness...there was just too much of it in me for her to take it all!) This baby....hum, well there is not much left to take, but yep, I'm pretty sure she has zapped all my grace and will be blessed to be slender when she is older. So, what will be left of me? It will be pretty interesting to find out!
But, now for the real reason, I delve into this whole wondering what has happened to me being smart....I am just simply amazed at Eden! She's in first grade and has repeatedly tested at a third grade level and in some areas fourth or fifth grade. Today, her teacher stopped me to tell me that Eden just took another MAPS test. This set was done on the computer and everyone had 30 minutes to complete it....she did hers in 12 minutes and tested at an eighth grade level! Yes, you read right...an eighth grade level! WOW! I was blown away!
We have really struggled since she entered kindergarten in the public school system. They just do not have programs for kids that are above their own level here in Montrose. I don't believe that letting her skip a grade is the answer either. In third grade they have an advance class, but it only meets once a week. We really want her to be challenged and to be learning everyday. I wish we knew what to do. Nate really would like me to home school her....if I thought for a moment I could be effective and still deal with my other kids, I would already be doing it. We are so proud of her....not because she's so smart...but like we tell her, what makes us proud of her is that she always tries to do her BEST.
I'll be honest, I am afraid she is too hard on herself, she is a perfectionist and gets down on herself when she makes a mistake. I don't want her to think she has to be perfect in all things... Funny thing is that her penmanship is just satisfactory....her teacher told me that I should work on her with that. I actually told her, that I was glad that she had something in her life that she wasn't concerned about being perfect. I encourage Eden to be neater when she writes, but I hate to add one more weight for her to worry about. I sure do love that girl. She amazes me everyday. She has been saying for a few months now that she wants to be a Scientist when she grows up. Then she continues to maul over what type of Scientist she would like to be. Wow, when I was her age the most ambitious thing I wanted to do was be a hairdresser!

Sweet Moments

It doesn't get any better than happy loving kids!!! Emry loves to follow Jack around and is so happy when Jack is willing to play with her. Thay can be the best of friends (on some days!)

3 months and 2 days...

Considering Christmas was just three months ago...and it still feels like it was yesterday (especially with these freezing temperatures and snow!)...I am a tad bit nervous! Three months is all we have until this new sweet baby girl comes to our home! I don't remember ever feeling so nervous before! Everyone assures me that four is so EASY!!! I wish I believed that - or could get a guarantee on that would even be better! All three kids have been sick on and off for the last two weeks and I don't know how I could be spread any thinner! (That's a pretty ironic description of how I feel, since I have NEVER been so huge in all my life - I am really scared physically of what I will look like in three months!)
I don't think I have ever quite experienced the "clumsiness" that pregnancy induces. Let me just share with you my past two days! It began by me painting our dining room...still not sure how I managed...but I fell holding my tray of paint (this is a pretty close match to the color we chose) and ended up wedged between two chairs and had to call for help. I literally was stuck and couldn't move - I think Nate really did have a hard time holding back his laughter to ask if I was alright. This morning, I decided Nate ought to be the one to finish the trim - safer for the whole family - so I was moving our pictures and wouldn't you know it my hand went right through the glass sending fragments of glass everywhere! Yep, Nate was a bit surprised when he walked into the room and saw me trying to tweeze tiny shards of glass out of my hand. Honestly, I feel like I am a hazard - trying to make dinner tonight, I ended up missing the bowl that I was suppose to be putting the oil into - not sure how that is even possible - but the oil ended up on the counter top and Emry very upset with me. I spilt a full box of baking soda - even though those boxes look small....believe me - that is one big mess to clean up! The best thing about being clumsy while being pregnant is that I forget half of the clumsy things I do. I know there was quite the extensive list of clumsy acts I did - but hey, I'm pregnant and I simply can't remember anything any more. If I am to learn anything from this...it's not to get so mad at my kids when they have accidents....meaning Emry who naturally spills anytime she is sitting at the table or anywhere else for that matter! Well, I am not sure how I even got on this tangent...this certainly wasn't what I was going to write about...but, again being pregnant, I really can't seem to stay focused for too long. I really hope that I stay this way forever!

It's been awhile...

I am finally going to update this thing. I really should put pictures on and catch up from the last five months...but, since I have about three minutes to write...I'll just jump to the present! We went in for our ultrasound today. As we dropped Eden off at school, she told me..."Mom, make sure you do everything you can to have this be a boy!" She so desperately wants it to be even in our house...and she's not so sure about having another girl, now that she can see Emry in her full glory at age 2!! After 40 minutes of serious prodding and poking...and having the tech leave twice to graph her results....our baby finally gave up a tiny peak....I'm not sure how to tell Eden that she is having another sister! I really was shocked. I thought we were having boy! Now, I have no excuse for my excessive aggression. We are pretty excited...we have pretty stinkin' cute girls I must say! Now we just have to come up with a name...which I think is about as difficult as delievery itself! We've got nothing right now. Our boy list was quite nice...but girls.....notta, zip, zilch...it's a good thing we found out so we have a good 18 weeks to figure out something!

Happy birthday Grandma Jacob

Since I can't seem to post a video using hotmail....you all get to see my beautiful kids doing what they do best!!!

Happy birthday Grandma Jacob....we love you!

Grass...beautiful grass

Nothing like good ol' fashion hard work to make you feel like you are getting OLD!!! We spent all last week working on laying sod and moving rock to get our yard put together! Honestly, it felt wonderful to do yard work! (Even if I couldn't move the next day!) I have missed it so much this past year! The kids were thrilled when the grass was all laid. They ran out at night and just laid on it to watch the stars. Our yard here is so HUGE!!! We are going to have two large garden spots and plenty of more room to play. I can't wait to plant a garden...I know, I have to wait a long time. But it just about killed me to have to pay for tomatoes!!! Eden has so many great ideas of what else can go in our yard, trampoline, sandbox, playset, rivers, bridges, ahh yes, and a dog! (Sorry, that one is NOT going to happen for about 11 more years!)

I am kind of nervous with just how big these garden spots really are!

Ahhh, those summer days

Our summer was so much fun! We loved having our company! Eden and grandma on the drive back from Grand Mesa....I wish I had a picture of their faces when the GIANT bug was on them! Priceless!

Everyone loved having Uncle Jeff and Kim come for a visit....Jack and Emry have a new tradition, thanks to Grandma Jacob.....they MUST have popcorn and sit in the circle at Target!

When did my baby get so big...Eden is wearing the dress I had my flower girls wear at our wedding.

Eden started karate lessons and is LOVING it!
Emry was determined to ride this bike!

Our canoeing trip at Ridgeway.

We had a fun BBQ after canoeing ...loved evreything but the snake! We had a very fun hike at Grand Mesa with Grandma!

Grandma was loved by all! Jack's favorite saying..."Guess what, I love you!"
The first of many addicting trips to Target!
Eden on her first day of grade one! It's a good thing Grandma Jacob was here to distract me from crying all day!
My favorite thing....seeing Nate and Eden ride bikes together.
Ahh, oh I miss those walks we would go on!

Summer has gone by all too quickly! A great big thanks to everyone who came to visit us! We loved every minute of it and miss you all so much!

As for now....we are still praying that our home in Boise will sell! That still continues to plague us! Eden is enjoying school, loving karate, and rockin' out on the piano. Jack and Emry are learning to get along with each other on our daily runs! Each morning after dropping Eden off at school, I strap them in the double jogger and out we head! Emry constantly hits Jack and Jack wails at Emry and I am too out of breath to yell at them...so we make our runs short so my neighbors can enjoy their mornings! Nate is busy with work as always....little does he know what I have planned for him this week....I think it is high time we get some landscaping done! I am sure he will thank me in the long run!