The Jimenez Family

On Sunday we made a public commitment in front of our church to raise our son, Jackson, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Although we had no immediate family members there we were surrounded by those that have walked alongside of us for the last three years of our lives! They have become our surrogate grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc!!! We definitely missed those that couldn't be there...but the Lord has provided His church to fill in the gap for now! :-)

Jackson was completely unaware of all the commotion going on around him or the fact that his chubby face was on the big screen. He was also unknowing of the fact his daddy shared his nickname - Chub-a-luv with the entire congregation. He was his normal laid back, mellow self!

After church, some of the highschool students went out to lunch with us to help "celebrate" JJ's big day! It was a great day!

I am going to buy a new broom today. What's wrong with my old broom? Well, it served its purpose just fine last night trapping the mouse that has evaded us for weeks. It served its purpose making sure that the mouse never enters our house again! It served its purpose cleaning up all the mouse droppings in our pantry. And it served its purpose cleaning the crumbs littered throughout the pantry of nibblings stolen in the night. Yes, I think it is time to retire the broom...and hopefully our new broom will only accomplish such feats as...sweeping?

Wednesday was Tyler's SIXTH birthday! For some reason, six seems so significant to me. Maybe I'll say that every year...I'm sure I said that last year for his fifth. It just seems to be a threshold into boyhood...leaving kiddie stuff behind and graduating to scooters, two-wheel bikes, etc. He just seems different as well...more aware of himself, more aware of those around him and the relationships he has in his life. His personality is becoming more defined and his character, I PRAY, is being shaped.

My little bubba is no longer little. He's changing into a little man...I pray that God will be a huge part of this change. I pray that this year as he continues to learn to read that eventually it will be God's Word that he enjoys reading. I pray that as he learns his ability to choose that it will be God's Way that he chooses. And I pray that as much as people impact his life - he will impact those around him for the glory of God.

Seriousness aside...he had a great birthday! We decided to forgo a themed birthday party this year and instead he chose to go to Monkey Joe's with two of his friends. Then we had them all over for pizza that night. Jason had come up with a scavenger hunt for all the kids to go on to try and find Tyler's present. The kids LOVED it and wanted to play again and again! It was a fun day celebrating our sweet six year old boy! We are so very blessed by him and cannot wait to see what this year has in store for him!

Reading the first clue...

Almost there...

He found it!!!

Maybe next year we can play?!!

I have no formal employment...and yet, the words were definitely directed to me. Maybe spoken a little more lovingly than Donald Trump...but with the same enthusiasm and fervor!
Yes, I'm fired...probably for good...I have been asked to relinquish my paint roller and brush. Never to be put back into these willing hands. Unfortunately, I have crossed too many trim lines, brushed up against the ceiling too often, and maybe even ACCIDENTALLY dribbled a drop on our new carpet. So...the man of the house...has quite firmly said - You're Fired.

Don't tell him...but I think I'm a little relieved! :-)

Homeschool kids hard at work....

Baby hard at play...

The last vestige of color is starting to fade from fall. Winter will be here soon....but still I am so grateful to live in a place that explodes with colors at the changing of seasons. Being from the desert, I am used to a different color palate...more subdued and muted.
Jason took the kids on a walk last week to collect leaves and this is the project they turned it into. So when the leaves have all fallen and the trees are dull and colorless...we will have these leaf "vases" decorating our house! :-)

Our little chub-a-lub has "spoiled" his pants (and all his clothes) three days in a row!!!! One time between changes - I took some pics of him in his birthday suit!!!

I wanna go to AWANA!!! Isn't that what every parent wants to hear? That their child is excited to learn God's Word and hide it in their heart?

I have helped out with AWANA for many years and always in the back of my mind I could not wait for my little babies to be old enough to go to AWANA. Two years ago, Tyler started Gopher Buddies and last year Amy and Tyler were in Gopher Buddies together. This year, Tyler officially started Sparks. He counted down the days all summer long...and now several months into the year he is almost finished with his book. To say he is zealous would be an understatement....he is a driven, over-achiever, Timothy-award-striver, machine-verse sayer little Sparky! I'm glad he enjoys it and I know that most of the motivation is a teeny-tiny plastic jewel that gets lost as soon as you put it in his little hand. But whatever the motivation...God's Word is seeping into his young heart...putting down firm roots and starting to sprout up. I pray that as he gets older...that Word will become a unique part of his life...that he will never be able to separate from.

Here he is saying the books of the New Testament...

Of course...not to be out done...Amy learned them too! She has learned every single verse right alongside of Tyler - without the jewel to show for it! She'll have a head start on Sparks next year!!!

Look at me - look what I can do!

I know, I know...it can't be true.

I am only three months old you see

And Mommy thinks this is way too early for me!

Back on my tummy I go...because nap time is not over, you know

But once again I do my little trick

And this time I'll add a smile to the mix!

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine.

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty,

Thy glory in my valley.

-The Valley of Vision

from A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions-

A "hangout" day with Dad...
A special trip to the park...
A walk around the lake...
Beautiful sunshine...

The best things in life are definitely free!!!

Three little kids in the Jimenez household have caught the art bug! Yes, three...Tyler, Amy and JASON! Ever since they started their art classes at Noah's Art...the kids have been making "projects" all throughout the day. Every spare minute they have they want to work on their "projects"!

One of Amy's projects - "Abstract"

One of Tyler's projects..."Angry Self-Portrait"

We are running out of space to display this beautiful art. Obviously, I am truly restraining myself by not just chucking it into the trash (I tend to do that more often than they know!). But my super crafty, resourceful, creative husband decided to actually make the kids art part of the house for good!

He went to Hobby Lobby and got two plain pieces of wood and spray painted them dark brown. Then he took the kids paintings of sunflowers and attached them to the boards. We have them hung in the kitchen and they look awesome!

I am the grand-daughter of a famous artist - Doris Brunenkant - and yet...I have graciously passed on all the artistic aptitude to my children! I have kept NONE of it for myself...wanting them to benefit with the majority of the talents! :-) May they continue to utilize all those creative juices and make more beautiful art! (So much cheaper than buying those prints at the store!!!)

Has it gone that fast? Is my little guy three months old already? In some ways, I feel like it has been longer...and in some ways it feels like it has flown by. But three months ago, Jason and I woke up early...roused our two older kids...rushed them to a friends' house and then hurried to the hospital. I walked into the room that was all ready and waiting for me...complete with the blue and pink stomach belt/monitors and thus began the thirteen hour wait for our sweet little guy.

Now, three months later I sit at the computer and hear him laughing and talking to all of us. Every moment of the yucky sickness, long doctors visits, uncomfortable sleeping positions, heartburn, emotional weariness...was absolutely worth it. Jackson is such a sweet unexpected gift from the Lord...and we are so thankful for him!!!

This week was filled with tickling, pizza, ice cream, merry-go-rounds, long talks, long walks, and just all out fun! Jason's parents - aka "Woo-woo Grammie and Poppy" were here from Tucson.

Whenever family from Tucson comes I want to stop the clock and soak up as much of them as we possibly can. We've had such a good time with them and it will be so hard to put them back on the plane tomorrow morning. So hard to start the clock back up again...pick up the house, do the dirty dishes, wash the dirty clothes, pack up the air mattress and get back to real life. But we will treasure in our hearts this special week and we will eagerly look forward to the next time family comes!!! We love you, Grammie and Poppy!!!

Little update on homeschooling..we are all still alive and its actually going really well. Initially, I had a little panic attack within the first three weeks and tried three different curriculums for reading. My poor children were a little confused. But now, I've settled down and I'm really enjoying our new routine. I'm sure the progressing grades get harder and harder but I'm not looking too far ahead...just to tomorrow! Tyler and Amy are loving "school-time" and I can see little seeds of learning starting to sprout up in their little minds.
Amy was hard at work the other day during "rest-time". She came downstairs and was quite proud of her achievement! This is what she had written...without any help from Mom:

Here's a closer look...

She wrote...Amy Tyler Dad Mom! So cute! And she was so proud that she could actually write words!!! Yeah!

Those are words I like to hear in association with losing weight or dieting. I'm not a huge fan. I know its good to learn self-control in eating and its great to workout and be healthy...but its not quick, easy, or painless.

But I have found a new way to lose weight. I lost two pounds in two hours with this new method....I'm serious!!!!

Here's the before and after pictures of how I did it:

Too bad I don't have any more hair to cut off! :-)

Jackson playing on his own...

Getting some "love" (smothered)...

A little scared...

Doing better...

One on one...so much better...

I am deep in the throes of trying to burn off my baby fat! Well, technically...its not "my" baby fat...its Jackson's...he loaned it to me - he has plenty to spare! :-)
Anyways...Jason has been talking about cupcakes for the last two weeks. We went to a gourmet cupcake shop and Jason had this dark chocolate divine cupcake (and I had a crumb! :-). He has had a craving for cupcakes since then. So, I indulged him...even though I knew it would be suicide to my diet!!!
The kids helped me make the cupcakes, lick the batter, and frost them. Yum! Please do not ask me how many now reside on my hips and backside...or how much harder I've been hitting the gym. I would have to tell you the truth and your respect for me would dwindle considerably! Oh well! Life is short, right????

I couldn't get the camera out fast enough to take a picture of Jason eating the cupcakes (yes, plural!). He had a whole one down before I could even turn the camera on!!! Of course, I enjoyed every single teeny crumb...and even licked the frosting off the paper!!! :-)

I climbed a mountain today...literally! :-) This morning I took several of the high school girls for a hike up Crowders Mountain. It was a gorgeous day and it turned out to be a great trip. I was a little worried about how my post-partum body would fare hiking up this mountain...but I have to say that I stayed right in step with those young whippersnappers!

Once at the top, I shared from Romans 12:1-2. I exhorted the girls to examine all aspects of their lives from their thoughts in their heads all the way to the places they go with their feet. Are they conformed to the world? or the image of Christ? It was an amazing place to spend time before the Lord asking Him to search us and convict us of sin.

We spent some time quietly on our own...praying and just worshipping the Lord. Then we headed back down the mountain. On the way home, we stopped at Tony's Ice Cream Parlor and had homemade ice cream! The scoops were huge...but we hiked a mountain...we deserved it!

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