Our J Squared Fam: Start of the new school year!!! August 28-Sept 6, 2016

Here we are getting ready to start a new homeschool year!! After LOTS of prayer and pondering, weighing the options and what would be best for our family this year, we felt like it was the best choice for us to homeschool again since Daddy would be doing his MBA program for at least three nights each week and then since he had a calling as Ward Executive Secretary, he had meetings at the church each week to go help out with the bishopric, and with the kids having music class, we were really only able to see him for about 1 night of the week---Fridays, and I claimed that for date night with my sweety as much as I could! But, since the kiddos wouldn't be able to see him much due to travels to music class on both Wednesday and Thursday nights, and then soccer practices, we decided it would work well for the kiddos to stay home again this year so they could see Daddy more often in the daytime for breakfasts and lunches and we took on another fun year of learning together with Nathan doing big boy kindergartener work too!

In addition to the older two, we started Gracie in a Mommy Joy School Co-op Group too!! We were really excited to get to make new friends and for this cute little cookie to take on a whole new learning adventure too, even though she had just only barely turned 3 when we started...hehe...she was very verbal and could express herself in very complete thoughts and sentences and she was excited to learn! I knew this would be A LOT on our plate this year around, but the days when we taught were some of the SWEETEST and hardest at the same time....but I loved having everyone prepare the learning material and activities and enjoying the fun projects together!! Even though it was sure a busy time, it was full of lots of memories and learning with friends and family!! Loved it!

Our cute little goofballs....=D

Homeschool day activities at their finest...building cool car tunnels and racing them through it!

When he was awake, we kept this cute Joshy boy entertained with some fun music toys, he thought they were pretty fun to wave his arms to!

Our Homeschool Days together just gettin' started!

While miss K would do her language arts/literature work, Gracie and Mommy would play with playdough! It was hard to resist though, and so Katelyn joined us for a bit of princess decorating!

Bath time smiles!! Katelyn sure loved taking care of him in the bath! AND we went to a bi-annual clothing swap at the church to find clothes for the school year....this little cute guy was the most tremendous Mommy's helper!! haha, taking clothes out of boxes everywhere! =D

Gracie was so proud of this coloring page she did in her scripture journal. It was one of her first most deliberate pages and the most magnificently colored ones too!!! Look at all those colors from the rainbow!! Way to go miss 3 yr old Gracie girl!!!

Cookies for FHE activity!! Yum! We talked about starting a new school year and the power of the Priesthood. As a family, it's one of our traditions to have Daddy give each of the kids a Father's Blessing to start off the new school year to give them strength, guidance and encouragement to take on the challenges and joys of the new year. :)

Sure love Daddy and so thankful for he could provide each of us with a Priesthood Blessing. :)

Here we go, ready to take on another year! So happy to be together again!

Fun dress up and silly nerd faces!!

We were thankful to collect a bunch of stuffed animals, and games to donate to a young man in our ward for help with his Eagle Scout project, collecting supplies to give to the local children's hospital for children in need. I hope my kids remember that special and joyful feeling we get inside when we look outside ourselves and think of and try to help others. It truly helps heal the soul and helps us feel our Savior's love for all of God's children. :)