I'm doing a horrible job so far of being a blogger! Hopefully I'll get into a routine of keeping it updated.....

The last couple weeks have still felt somewhat like vacation though it's slowly beginning to feel like normal life.  I've had a couple days that I didn't get a chance to swim because of the "stuff" of everyday life...laundry, cleaning, errands...sigh. I guess vacation can't really last forever!

I started loosely homeschooling Parker on Monday to try to establish some form of a routine before we really start to hit it hard. If we sat down and did all of the work at one time it should take about 2 hours, but, with 3 other little ones running around we've been splitting it up all throughout the day which has actually been working well. If we do bits at a time Parker can stay focused and go through it pretty quickly. I'm learning though that she really needs silence to focus. Any type of noise or commotion around her is extremely distracting and she can't work. I, on the other hand, studied at my best when there was background noise.

So far, I'm really happy with the curriculum that were using  - Sonlight. The entire year of work is layed out into lesson plans with details on how to teach it, I literally just open the teachers guide and follow the instructions. Math is a different story.....it's slightly embarrassing that I actually have to read how to teach 1st grade Math.....

I haven't exactly figured out what to do with Eilash and Elin for preschool. My plan is to get Parker on a routine in the next month or so then try to tailor a plan for the little ones. The problem is finding the time to work with them. They can't do it when Parker is trying to work because they get too excited which translates into them being extremely loud,  which escalates into Parker getting upset and yelling at Eilash and Elin which then turns into me yelling at everybody. It's still early though, I have some time to get it figured out.

We still spend the majority of the day in the pool. The temperatures are in the 100's , which I absolutely love! I've  figured out that 115 is almost unbearably hot but 100-105 is delightful :) Delightful by the pool that is! It's still to warm for the kids to just play outside or go to the park. We'll have all "winter" for that :) :)

Steve started work this week, but its just been orientation so he's been coming home early everyday. Tomorrow is his first actual day of real work, unfortunately his commute for the next few months is an hour each way, so I expect his days of coming home early are at an end....We still have company until Sunday, then I'll officially be on my own!

Our sweet Elin got to have an Arizona birthday and turned 3 on July 26th!


She had not one...

Cake with Grandma and Grandpa Widmer before they left 

 Not two....

We went to the Huette's Sunday evening, the day after her birthday, and they had birthday decorations for Elin and had made her a special birthday desert :) I absolutely already love that entire family...more about them later...

But 3 birthday celebrations!

 Including the "Desert Pool Party" she requested :)

"Desert Dirt Pudding"

Two of four girls are now hanging over my shoulders, I'll take that as my cue to be done for tonight :)

We've arrived!

We drove into Phoenix early Tuesday morning, (2 days ahead of schedule!!), and its felt like vacation ever since! We've slowly been unpacking and getting the house in order, in between doing more important things- well the most important thing in Phoenix when the temperature is above 100 degrees....SWIMMING!!

The girls are turning into fish already, especially Parker! The first day we were here she was very afraid of the water, by the third day she was swimming better than ever. She's excellent at swimming underwater and is mastering her little doggy paddle. Elin is all over the pool with her puddle jumpers on, she doesn't have much fear. Eilash on the other hand....has SO much fear. She can always be found on the step of the pool in the shallow end, she is terrified of the deep, even in floaties. Hadleigh isn't a big fan of water. She'll go in the pool for a couple minutes but then she's done, she toddles around the side but never gets too close. 

Right behind our house is a beautiful little lake with our own dock...complete with a canoe and kayaks. 

Brittany and Isaac were with us until yesterday, they left Phoenix to go to San Diego for a few days. They helped so much with our move, I don't know what we would have done without them! 

Malissa (our Ohio neighbor) drive down with us and will be here for a few more weeks. Her mom will fly down early August for a week then they will fly back to Ohio together. 

Darrell and Alice are staying with us until Thursday, they also have been so incredibly helpful! It's nice to have people around so we can run errands, organize the house and have an extra hand with the kids. 

I don't have any pictures of them...yet :) 

There lots more to catch up on and lots more pictures to post, but that's it for now!