Little Letters - Family Style

Dear Boys

I am so thankful that I have you.  I am thankful I am a mom to 3 amazing, talented, and wonderful little men.  You are growing so fast  and I am constantly in awe of the people you are becoming. 

Dear Husband

As we discussed our "talk" today that we had to give in church during priesthood/RS lesson, I realized how blessed I am.  We are on the same page!  I am thankful for the fact that I don't have to struggle to try to explain how I see things to you. 

Dear Youngest Brother and Sister-In-Law

Thank you for being the wonderful people you are.  You are always so willing to help and I am so thankful for that.  You are amazing people.  I look forward to meeting your new little miss, have her quick for me.    (.....and I am NOT 50 yet! :D) 

Dear Sister

I am so grateful that I have a best friend in you.  You have been an incredible blessing in my life lately.  It has been a pleasure getting to know you as an adult.  Although 12 years separate us, I often feel as if there has been no time at all.  (also thanks for having girls for me to play with!  :D)

Dear Friends ("Bloggy" and otherwise)

You are a LARGE blessing in my life.  Thank you.

Top Ten for the New Year, Little Letter Style

So, I have discovered that even recording my goals doesn't help me keep on track.  This year I thought it might be fun to do it as a really want to learn/do list instead of a goal per sey.  AND, just to make it more fun for me...lets do it little letter style.  :)

Dear Swimming Membership

I am buying you this week...I hope to use you as an incentive to lose this 15 lbs I really want gone.  :)  If you take off more...HORRAY!  I want to go back to deep water jog and you are just the ticket I need for that.

Dear Temple Square

I really want to visit you with my family this year.  We really feel like our family needs to come and see where conference happens, where the temple is, and where exactly Utah really is!  :)  I would love to see one of my friends while we are there as well.  (14 years is along time ago)

Dear Homeschooling

I would really like to teach M to read this year, G to spell less phonetically, and K passed in his piano to Grade 3.  Really, simple goals to finish out the year, but that is our main focus.

Dear Preparedness

Still working on you.  It seems every time we achieve a list and check off all that we want, it is another list to take your place.  I would love to save enough to have a super tanker of water in my basement, and a dutch oven we can play with.  Those are my main two things that I really want to save for this year and have.

Dear New Testament

I would love to finish reading you this year for family scripture study.  I am really looking forward to reading Revelations with the boys. 

Dear Living Christ

I would really like to memorize you this year. 

Dear Food Storage

This year I would like to finish making you a 2 year, for 8 adults, storage.

Dear Camping

This year we need to camp more.  I would love to camp at least 2 weeks this year.  Please be accessible to our family.

Dear Adoption

I would really like to finish you this year.  Even if we are just at the final step of getting it all legal...just really hope to finally get this wrapped up.  (you kind of stall and although that is fine...it is really frustrating)

Dear Soap Making Skills

I am going to learn you.  I am going to learn how to make you totally from scratch and totally natural.  You are my main skill I want to learn this year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cheers

Little Letters

Dear Pumpkin Blizzard

I love you.  I know I have had you a few times since you came back to our DQ, but I still love you just as much as the first time I had you.

Dear Fall Leaves

Although I don't enjoy you being tracked into my house, you are so very pretty I will forgive.  I love your yellows, oranges and reds.

Dear Beautiful Fall Weather

I am really enjoying that you are still here.  Please feel free to stick around.  I love not having to wear a winter coat for now...sweaters are good. 

Dear Children's and YA Books

I am addicted.  I admit it.  I love how totally age appropriate you are and the fun you bring (even to me).

Dear Tasters Table

I will admit that one of the only reasons I go to the Preparedness Fair (that our stake puts on) is for you.  Thank you for the wide variety of treats you provide for me.

Dear House

Please sell.

Dear Adoption

Please hurry up.

Dear Family

I love you.

Cheers

Little Letters...Family Edition

While participating in the celebration over at Chocolate on my Cranium and We Talk of Christ I have had family on my mind alot...so this little letters edition is in honor of families!

Dear Wii
Thank you for the many hours of entertainment you give my family...and the exercise they get without even knowing it!  (especially with MarioKart...that is funny to watch!)

Dear Super Comfy Brown Round Chair
What a super soft and great chair you are.  I am thankful to have such a huge chair I can cuddle with more than one boy on and still have room for more!  Plus you match my other furniture...what more could I ask for?!

Dear Fall
Thanks for coming, would have been nice if you delayed your arrival a bit...but thanks for being beautiful enough we can still go out for a good walk and be warm.

Dear Bucks
I would super like it if you didn't come eat my trees...seriously!  If you persist in disturbing me and not letting my boys go play in the yard...I am buying an airsoft gun.  I mean it!

Dear Coconut Milk
Thanks for making me look like a stellar cook.  I can add you to almost any sauce and my family will eat it and love it!  Awesome.

Dear Piano
What a beautiful sound it is to hear my oldest play you and my others sing along.  I especially love the sound of the hymns.  I am so glad you live here in my home for my oldest to play. 

Dear Books
I swear I haven't bought any more of you...you just keep multiplying. (maybe at night??!!  I did tell my dh I wouldn't take any more of you home...so that has gotta be it!)  I love it!

Cheers

Little Letters

Dear Blog
I am almost at 300 posts!  Whew, what a good friend you have been to me these few years.  I am thinking that for our 300th post we should do a give-away...

Dear Summer
I am so glad you are here.  Thanks for coming to stay for a while.  :)

Dear Ice Cream Supper
I am sad you are only once a year, but thank you for coming every year and being so darn much fun!

Dear Little Bush
You are so pretty and I love your little pink flowers.  I also love that you were 30% off and so were really cheap!  I am going to buy more of your brothers and sisters when we finally move.

Dear Housing Market
I am getting really frustrated.  (it has been over 2 months now and still no offers...)  I WANT MY FARM!

Dear Virtual Friends
I am so thrilled to "meet" with you often and look forward to our "conversations"! 

Dear BBQ
So sad to see you die, but hopefully we can find a new one just as good as you.  You served us well these past 8 years.  So, thank you.

Cheers

Little Letters

Dear Email
I am thankful that I have you to keep in touch with friends, family and to get funny stuff from friends!  :)

Dear Spring
Thank you, thank you, thank you for finally coming to visit!  (now please stay till summer comes....)

Dear School
I loved having you in my home, but I am so glad you are done!  :)

Dear Ebay
Thank you for having a cheap DS for M, it is going to make a marvy gift for his b-day and I got free games too!  YAHOO! 

Dear Deer
I almost forgive you for eating all my tulips, but only because my other flowers are finally coming out.  Next year I fully expect to eat you because I am getting my gun licence!  :)

Dear Government
I am really not impressed how long everything takes with you.  Our gun licences have been WAY overdue, our adoption is taking MUCH longer than the year/two years we were told....taxes suck...anyway, I am just not impressed with you.  (But you are better than most other countries so I will forgive you)

Dear Guitar
You are really hard to learn.

Dear Kids
You are getting so good at not fighting, not being mean to eachother and I am so glad.  Thank you!

Cheers

Little letters

Dear Weather

You tease.  First you are warm, then cold.  Please make up your mind!  :)  I was thrilled that you were warm...please feel free to stay that way!

Dear Guitar

Thank you for being inexpensive enough to buy for my poor little man.  He needed you so badly (he thinks) and now you came to live with us. 

Dear Dentist

Please be nice to me (and my bank account) tomorrow.  I need my tooth out, but if I pass out, then I blame you.  (not my affinity to passing out)

Dear Stargate

Thank you for making more than one series that we can be addicted to!

Dear Soup

I am so excited you are so many flavors.  I love you.

Dear FreeRice site

I am so smart with you around.  Thanks for the challenge everyday.

Cheers

Little Letters

Dear Garbage Man,
I am thankful that you come and take my garbage away. I am sorry that there were so many computer parts and DVD parts in it today, but in science we trashed a few. Sorry you had to run the crusher twice to make room for more garbage!

Dear Warm Weather,
Thank you for coming to visit us this winter. We are sad you are not as warm as before, but we like you even if you are not super warm...feel free to stay LONG!

Dear Stargate,
I am so excited that you come to visit us from the Atwoods house. I love you.

Dear TV and DVD player,
You rock at playing Stargate, and I love you for that! :)

Dear P,
You are amazing. I am so glad that we are together, and that 12 years is not to torturous to you. I am also glad we can watch Stargate together, and Smallville... :) I love you too...just as much if not more than the above two mentioned things.

Dear KGM3Boys,
(did you notice that clever little thing when you email me?!) You boys are the reason I get up every morning. No really, you are. I get up to do scripture study, then you make me stay up for school, and then we run around like crazy together...but I love it...and you!

Dear Hobbes,
My friend Mary made you, but you keep many entertained just by being you. I love how orange you are, and cuddly. I am so glad that you came to live here with us.

Dear Squid Dogs,
You were super fun to make tonight, yummy, and fun to eat. MMmmmm

Little letters

I saw this idea on another blog and loved it so I am borrowing it, here is my version.

Dear Brown Chair,
I love how soft and cozy you are. Thank you for being so big too!

Dear Warm House,
I am sooooo happy you are warm, especially today.

Dear Cold Weather,
While I love that it has snowed, I really wish you would go away. I would love to visit with some warm weather.

Dear Dollaramma,
Things are cheap and wonderful everytime I come to see you. Thank you.

Dear Costco,
Thank you for the samples I pay for, and for the nice little ladies that serve them to me. Please feel free to fire or place that really mean lady somewhere that she can't come into contact with anyone! Also, please feel free to add more chocolate samples, yogurt is great, but chocolate is better!


Dear Candle Man,
Thank you for letting my boys come and watch you make candles, it was so fun and really educational for them too.

Dear Lapidary Club,
What a fun time we had seeing your stuff. We loved the little bags of polished rocks we got, and the big rocks/petrified wood that you gave us. What a special time we had with you. (the chocolate was excellent as well!) Thank you for being so patient and so fun for us to come and visit.

Dear Family,
We are thankful for you and your support. Christmas is coming, and while we will not be coming to see you, know that you are in our prayers and we miss you. We are thankful for all you do for us, for the emails, phone calls, and texts we receive from you. We love you!

Dear Friends,
Thank you for being my friend, I need you and am thankful for you. Everytime I have something happen (happy or sad) I know that I can count on you to be there and share it with me. True friends like you are hard to come by, so thank you! (I love you too!)

Cheers

A letter

Dear Doubters,

Some of you have been really rude about my choice to Home school my children. Some of you are just really snide. Making comments meant to deter me or make me feel bad. This is not cool. I am getting pretty sick of standing up for our choice. I really don't think you have any right to say anything. But just to be nice, here is a list of why this has been the best decision that we have made in a long time.

1. We learn at our own speed. If we need to take a few more days, than we can, or if we are super fast, we can be done.

2. We aren't told that we are slow. G was told that he was "slow" at math. Turns out he was bored. He has already passed a whole section and is well into his next one. So much for that.

3. The boys are happier. There may be fights, or bad days...but they are fewer and less intense. They are cheerful in the morning and I rarely have to fight to get them to do anything.

4. G's stuttering is almost totally gone. After a year of it not improving and going through all the "therapy" and it getting worse, it is totally gone after a month of HS.

5. We are never bullied.

6. We are loved and it shows. When I ask my boys if they want to go to school, they are horrified and ask if I would really do that to them. They want to stay here and be with me.

7. When P & I were away for 3 days (taking the caregivers training) we realized that we missed our kids. This is not a new feeling, but after spending so much time with them, it was a bit traumatizing not to be with them...and they felt the same way.

8. We have way fun field trips, with plenty of time to chat about them.

9. Art, Phys Ed, Music and Religion are much easier to teach and alot more fun if not forced on us. We are much more creative and enjoy it alot more.

10. School only lasts from 9am to 2pm at the latest. This makes it easier to:
- watch a musical
- do an art project
- go for a walk, swim or play in the yard...etc

This is only a partial list...but please dear doubters, stop with the constant voicing of how I am damaging my children, or making them "stupid", or cheating them out of friends. I have many more benefits to this teaching method, and would love to share them with you, if you are willing to listen. If you are not, please feel free not to share with me.

Thank you so much for listening.
J