California McMillans

We are looking for a home in Walnut Creek.  Originally, we were just looking to buy the home we will stay in to raise our kids but then I had the thought that maybe we should buy a home closer to the pool I am working which is a very cute neighborhood but doesn't have that many bigger homes.  We could live there for a couple of years and be so close to the pool and elementary school and then rent it out in 2-5 years, see what happens to the market and then buy a bigger home.  I am a minimalist and feel I would be happy with whatever but then I question what would be best for our kids.  Home that needs some work is good because everyone can work to get some home projects done which I think is good to learn the value of work. Bigger home gives us a little breathing room, easier to entertain, but so much more to clean. We shall see... Well, we put an offer on the smaller home.  I liked it and Danny not so much.  He liked it because I liked it and I didn't like it because he didn

Blake and Kira got ski passes to Sierra at Tahoe.  Shawna takes them on Fridays.  Blake really likes it and Kira kind of likes it.  I think she would be happier going on intermediate lifts but everyone wants to go on Diamonds so it is hard for her to progress and really enjoy it when she is a little out of her comfort zone.  This Friday, a mom organized a homeschool ski day.  I didn't think I was going to go because it is really hard with Parker and Hanna.  I was really hoping Parker would learn last week but he was so stubborn and just wanted to fly down the mountain fast and not learn.  When he fell, he would yell at me of why I made him fall.  It was exhausting.  I decided to go last minute since I had so many amazing friends, some skiing and some not that said they would help with Hanna.  I was on a lift last time with a ski instructor and she said that with some kids you tell them they can do whatever they want for 1/2 the run and then they have to do what you want for 1

Blake and Kira received their purple belts today.  They earned them 2 months ago but we couldn't go to the ceremony.  It is amazing how much they have learned in less than a year.  Their confidence,  discipline and leadership. Martial arts was an answer to prayer for Blakes anxiety. When life was too hard to do organized sports and he had too much anxiety for anything, we patiently got him into martial arts.  It was a struggle in the beginning.  I would never know what the day would be, how the drop off would go.  Some days he went in ok and other days I sat there with him, we watched, we waited and we were lucky if he made it to 10 minutes.  After a month, I decided to pay for an entire year.  Part of me thought it was crazy to commit to something for a year but the bigger part of me knew that on the hard days and hard months I would just give up and let him out of it and that would be the worst thing for him.  It was such a positive place.  It was full of encouragement with so

I am grateful for Come Follow Me.  I really do feel like it is inspired and exactly what our family needs.  The New Testament was great last year but I have had a harder time implementing it this year.  I think we just need something new.  I was asked to talk about how I teach my kids the scriptures in Sunday School on Sunday and it allowed me to reflect on how we do this.  Quite frankly, I often feel like I am not doing a great job but reflecting made me realize that we are doing an ok job.  Definitely room for improvement, like always, but I do feel like we are striving to teach our kids. I feel like I am not doing a good job when I think about us sitting reverently around a room reading our scriptures or learning something.  My kids don't sit.  At least Parker.  It usually ends with me wishing it went better.  But I reflected and realized we usually read the lesson and incorporate the thoughts and lessons throughout the week and I think that is what Come Follow Me is all about

We put on offer on a home in Walnut Creek.  It seemed like a great home for us but after months of sitting someone put an offer on it.  We put in a back off offer knowing that it would have been so rare for anything to happen to the first offer.  After 2 months, the home finally closed to the other people. So many emotions of should we have acted faster, was it just not meant to be, maybe it was a good learning lesson for when the right home comes along, will we find a home that has everything that home had.  There were things we loved but also things we would have changed and I just keep praying that we will find a home that will be everything we love.  I have never bought a home with the intention that this will be our forever home but I feel like our next home could be that.  One day I am sure we will downsize when we don't have tons of kids in our home.  I feel like we know what we want and don't want. It is hard to the know the right timing of things.  I took a job in

There are some great perks of homeschooling. One of them is more free time to play, hang out with friends (both moms and kids) and go adventuring.  It has been great to change my mindset of learning and growing vs going to school to learn.  I used to feel like the kids had to go to school to learn. I am so much more flexible in learning there are so many different ways to learn, different ways to become a better human, friend and tighter family. On Monday we went to homeschool day at Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It is a great aquarium and was a gorgeous day.  A couple of friends stayed the night before and I debated but decided I wanted to be home on Sunday to refuel.  We hit little traffic and enjoyed a couple hours in the morning looking at the otters, penguins, fish and so much more.  I love the little kid area to just hang out.  Parker is challenging wherever we go and that is hard. Around 2 we went to the beach and had a great time.  As much as I love the Monterey Bay Museum being

Scott had a good birthday, I think.  He got some shoes, a huge Nd magnet, parts for his helicopter, LED lights for his Slash, 2 2s batteries for his Slash, a high pitch prop for his Spartan, and a GPS speedometer.  On Friday he hosted a party where there was pizza, drinks, TV, and trampoline time.  It was a good party.  Scott's a good kid.  He wants to do what's right and puts up with a lot of crap from his sibs.  He likes his phone, jazz band, his long hair, VANS, and his RC toys.  Happy birthday!  We love you!  Okay, bye.