Birthday Party

Brayden turned six a few days ago, and with everything going on, it snuck up on me. We had a small family party when our parents were out last weekend, but I wanted Brayden to have a party with friends. I just didn't want to have to do everything that comes with a party. So we had it at the local pizza place that is kind of like Chuck E. Cheese's. The kids had a great time. So here are a few pics:

There were A LOT of kids there. They ate lots of pizza, drank lots of soda, and had cake too. I'm sure they ran in circles once they got home! And here comes the wish....


One last picture, Brayden looks like he's in pain to me, when he has to smile for a picture. Have a look-

Fun Weekend

Last weekend, we had family in for a visit and Cade's baptism. My mom and little brother and Chris' parents all came in to see us. Chris has a friend who let us use his cabin with a pond nearby for them to stay in. It was so fun! The boys got in some good fishing in the pond. The fish wouldn't let the bobbers stay on the water for more than 20 seconds! It was just fish after fish after fish.

I think Logan had a better time catching the minnows, but this is a nice one. Cade just wanted to play football with my brother. Brayden is becoming quite the little angler. He can set the hook and real them in fast. This time they mostly caught bluegill, though they kept hoping for some bass.

After fishing for a while and some really good barbecue, we headed to church for Cade's baptism. Everything turned out really well and it was such a wonderful experience. It was something I don't think I'll ever forget. You could tell Cade just took everything in. I'm so glad our family was able to share in that with Cade. Here's just a couple of pics from that.

And here are the boys dressed up.

So handsome!

My Current Favorite Book

So my current favorite book is Persuasion, by Jane Austen. I know, I know. If I'm going to read Jane Austen, my favorite should be Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility. But I like Persuasion because the plot appeals to me in a way the others don't. The main character, Anne, is a good person, has sad things happen to her, yet she goes on with her life and tries to be useful and kind. If I were stomped on all the time by my family, I don't think I could be so patient as this character seems to be. She gets down and probably depressed, but she keeps going and has a happily ever after.

The thing I like about Austen's books is that the characters are so real. When reading something of hers, you think of someone you know who is like that particular character. Haven't we all me a Mrs. Bennet? Maybe you're a Marianne, or an Elizabeth. There's no gothic drama or intense passages. I lose patience with some of the more dramatic literature of that time, because some of it gets ridiculous. Austen just describes life as it was. I also like how she shows the favorable outcomes of someone adhering to one's own personal standards. And she shows what happens when one throws morals and standards out the window. In the case of Anne in Persuasion, she follows what she feels is right and is unhappy for a long time. But eventually everything turns around when Wentworth comes to value Anne's quiet strength of purpose and belief. I hope to be like that.

Need a Moment

This past week has been pretty hectic. College life for the non-traditional student isn't any easier than traditional students, I guarantee you. Had a huge accounting test last week, along with a stats test, a project for my communications class, and a business calculus test to get ready for. Plus, the boys were on Fall break, so they were home...all the time! Two more tests this week, plus the project for communications to continue, and family coming in this weekend. Okay, let me just take a breath.....

Though I sound like I'm complaining, I actually am doing okay with keeping up with most everything. And I am so glad to be back in school. Now I get to use my mind in so many different ways. I still have to think like Mommy and solve all those issues that come up with that part of my life, and I also get to think like a grownup and expand my capabilities there.

Do I wish I had finished school before the kids came? Well, it probably would have been smarter. But when I was in school before, I had less motivation. And even though I worked, I had more time on my hands to procrastinate. Now, I have to get things done as soon as they're assigned, or they don't get finished. I also know that I am going to use those things I'm learning now, so I pay more attention. So all in all, I think I'm in the best place for me to be right now. Enough preaching.

Fall Break

This week is fall break for Cade and Brayden and unfortunately, they haven't done much. They did have a play date with friends this week and had a lot of fun. Chris took them fishing on Monday and here's the results.
As you can see, Brayden had a good time. I didn't know he could smile so widely! But Logan was not to be outdone. As usual, he has to do everything big brothers do so:





















Cade, on the other hand, did not want to touch his fish so we don't have a picture. He did go on the outing though and had fun.

I have to say, it would be very nice to have our breaks coordinated a little better. We can't do much else because I still have class every day this week. But the boys still seem to enjoy their time away from school. They love sleeping in, which to them is sleeping till 6:30 or 7:00!

Career

Today I've been working on a resume for class, and I have to say it's been pretty interesting. I've been a stay-at-home mom for about eight years now and I wondered if I should include this on my resume. If I didn't, it was going to be a really short one. There is a lot of information online regarding "homemaker's resumes." Did some research on whether you should or shouldn't include this experience. It looked to me like opinions were divided. Many people said one should go ahead and include this experience because it is pretty valuable. Others said employers wouldn't want to hear about it. I think there was a study done about what a homemaker would make if he or she were actually paid for everything that comes with that position. I think the total salary came to something over $100,000. So for myself, I think it is very important to include this information. Just think, we homemakers manage accounts and finances, perform secretarial work, are psychologists and mediators. We are nurses and chauffeurs, chefs and housekeepers. We maintain our homes and vehicles. We plan and organize vacations, extracurricular activities, and our spouses work trips. I could go on. It's not just about cleaning toilets and changing diapers(though there's a lot of that too). I wonder if people really understand all that goes into household management. I'm sure there are many who think that homemakers just sit around and watch soaps all day.

So, I decided to play up my skills that I've developed since beginning this career. I don't know what my teacher will have to say, but I had a good time working on it. Plus it is a rough draft and I can always modify it.

An Experiment

In my business communication class, we are learning to maintain a blog. This is my first experience blogging so we'll see how it goes. At first, I admit I was a little skeptical. I was worried about how I would be able to keep up with it and what I would write about. I am also not a little technologically challenged. So anything like this, to me, sounds intimidating. But I now think it is a really good idea and look forward to keeping up with it. I like the idea of a place where I can rant or ramble and not worry about how I sound or if I get too wordy. I do tend to go on and on when I'm writing as is now evident.

I call this an experiment because it will be interesting to see how I do with it. I am not the greatest correspondent and with 15 hours of school and the family, it will be a challenge to keep this updated. So please be patient.