4 days, 4 races, lots of dirt and 3rd place!

So, many of you know that as a family we have embarked on this thing called BMX racing - not my usual scene but we have a lot of fun - kids everywhere, bad food everywhere, lots of trucks with "vote for Bush" on the bumper but we have begun to really enjoy these folks and watching all the children. There is a collective mama "gasp" when one of our kids falls and all of us hold our breath for the track medic to declare them on their feet and riding again or the feared ambulance signals for those not so lucky. I know one thing - Jacob will never wear toe clips on his pedals - I think they are probably great for much older kids, but these younger guys, at least the 14 and unders just don't have all the coordination they need to get out of the clips all the time and so they fall and the bike goes with them. We watched this happen to many kids this weekend, thankfully not ours!

So this weekend was a special "double points" weekend. Four races. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Those who know me well know that we strive to keep the Sabbath Holy, it is very important to us. We were in a quandary because the Sunday race was the State Champ decider - kids from this race go on to represent our area in the full state race and then on to national races. So I prayed, talked to Erik, asked a few friends what they would do and then I did something that was really hard, lol - I let go and let Jacob decide. I told him that it was his thing, we would support him. We talked about what other LDS athletes do that have to compete on Sundays (Steve Young the football player came to mind) and we also talked about the race being at 8am and church not starting until 1pm. I told him that we would support his choices. Of course he chose to race, lol! Big surprise.


So this weekend we raced and raced. Thursday he didn't place, but it was good practice since practice time here has been a bit limited with the weather. Friday he took second place in his division (9yo Novice) - Saturday he took second place, and Sunday - THE big race, lots of kids from Boise to Idaho Falls, Jacob took THIRD PLACE!! We were so proud. The trophy is almost as big as he is!

Let's just say he's hooked, we're hooked as a family (although I have not much of a voice this week from cheering all weekend!) Now we are into it and are on the hunt for some sponsors - corporate ones to help us with some costs. He'll be ready to move up in class here soon and needs a new, lighter bike. When I say lighter, I mean the new bikes weigh almost nothing - my guess is the frame is less than 5 pounds! Lighter doesn't mean cheaper! The bike he's got eyes on is nearly $400. He also needs a new uniform, with the amount of racing he's doing he'll need more than one - good news about that is the uniform has room for sponsors names on the back! Free advertising! So we've been pricing, new bike, new uniform, and a race day helmet to match, we're looking close to $1000! Good thing I'm growing that money tree out back.

A fun weekend though, we are beat but it was fun. Jacob even got his first taste at puppy love. There was a girl from across the state in his division. She was cute as a button and had her eyes on our shaggy boy. He even let her win on of the heats on Sunday so that she could place for the state race too, he's so funny - she took the 4th place slot which is amazing since they don't normally put the girls in with the boys unless there aren't enough to make a full class for the girls. They exchanged addresses so they could write. Before the final heat, I had to take him aside and remind him that while being a gentleman was great, he was there to race for him and to stop thinking about how cute she was for ten minutes and race his heart out. He looked so conflicted! Poor boy.

So we finished up at ten minutes to noon. Raced home, showered and our bums were in the church pew at 1pm when it started! Jacob slept through the service and then went on to his Sunday school classes - such a trooper - I bet he sleeps until 10am today.


Can you tell we ran out of things to do? Dootie took to eating the crackers I stashed for him and trying on racing gear - he's got his eye on this little 3yo (yes! 3yo) boy that races - he cheers him on yelling "peddle, peddle" like he does for his big brother, he cracks me up. The other picture is Ellie with her father (he was in good spirits this weekend) and Erik (lol on what he's reading - he's an AVP fan for those into comics) - it was hot, it was dirty, we are all still tasting the grit in our eyes and teeth, but it was fun.

Thank you to all that have helped us over the last few months, Jacob has come a long way in endurance and it really shows.

fertility, birthing, life...

For a woman that never thought she'd have child #4, lol, it seems odd that I would write about child #5 and beyond. I have learned that the word "never" isn't a very reliable word! We are not pregnant now but know it is coming down the road and are reflecting on how we want to approach things. Our lives are growing in such wonderful ways - the children are all thriving, our business is growing, we are happy. A few weeks ago we both had a strong spiritual experience that let us know there is another one waiting so we are preparing. With all my pregnancies, I was a bit healthier each time, with Samuel I felt great and after, I bounced back wonderfully. This time I'd like to top that - after nearly two years of straight writing, while my eating isn't off too terribly, my activity level and everyone else's in our house has suffered so in our meditations we felt assured that a path would be shown to us and it has! I felt prompted last week to buy this:

to wear as a reminder of what awaits us and our goals. The necklace is beautiful and it came from Chris Willow-Schomaker over at mamaroots.

I can't wait to do more shopping with her! She has some wonderful birth related items.

So over the next few weeks and months we are going to take ME from what you see on our videos, back to here: This picture was taken three years ago next month. I wasn't weighing myself or stressing a ton about food, but I was active, my early mornings were bike rides and walks so after praying the Lord helped me lay out a plan (as he always does!) Now that summer seems to be staying put, I think there should be no reason for us not to be able to do it!

I will never again say that I am done, lol - I like eggs, but not on my face. I always knew I wrote as much for me as I did for others - our journeys are all the same, just different stops and different teachers. We are all trying to get back home.

Thanks for reading my crazy rants. Many blessings.

Happy Birthday Dootie!!

Look at this cute baby! He was about 6 months old in this picture - he was so little!

This is him last year on his first birthday - cute as a button - before destroying the cake I made him.

This is TODAY! First picture of the morning when I asked him if he wanted to help me make his birthday cupcakes!Of course our yummy vegan cupcakes - I used green sugar to help it look like grass without all the ick of changing the frosting, and then of course I had to pipe ladybugs on them!

His new bike, he can almost ride it too - good thing he's got Jacob to help him! lolEnjoying a party at the park with friends and family. You'll see Grandma Catherine, Kayla, Ms. Tammy, Katie's back, Jacob on the trike, and big sister Ellie aka Lella (that is what Dootie calls her.)Big brother Harry (gotta get that boy to the hair cut place!) Daddy chasing Dootie.

Lella and Dootie - these two adore each other - she puts up with so much, I am so proud of this big girl.

We finished the day with a trip to a favorite 50's diner. What's he doing? Well all day we kept trying to get him to say that he was TWO - he got all mixed up - when you ask him how old he is, he holds up ONE finger and then promptly tells you that he is EIGHT, lol! He'll say "I eight" - we have been roaring with laughter about it all day.

Last picture, taken just as I write this, he is so peaceful asleep, so quiet.

I owe so much to the heavens for this boy - I love him so much. In many ways he is responsible for A Little Garden Flower - I probably would have just walked on in my mothering and homeschooling career but then here came this little man, this child would beg me to look back at early mothering and mothering a large family - without him I would not be the person I am. I am so thankful to be his mommy.

Thank you my sweet boy. Happy Birthday!! I love you. Your daddy loves you and your whole family loves you. Sleep well my baby.

MIA...

I have been a bit MIA but we have been busy! Our lessons blog has been getting a lot of attention these last couple weeks. You can see we have new art work! It is custom and the wonderful work of Ms. Tricia Rennea. We are still working out all the kinks but soon our gnomes will be in all the corners of our world! We are so excited.

We are working away on grade 6 - Erik has some great DVD segments planned and I have almost got the lesson plans finished - it will be another big book! For anyone working on grade six for the fall ~ get ready! It is going to be an action packed year physics, geology, Rome, Islam, Christianity and much more.

I promise more wacky Nielsen stuff to come - the camera is full of pictures I need to load up.

You are all great! Blessings.

PS - It snowed today. Can Summer please come here? Please?