Belen Starts 1st Grade!

Belen LOVES 1st grade! She loves the added responsibility and freedom that comes with being a little older.

She's a little frustrated that its taking time to remember her math so I'm feeling bad that we didn't do any math work over the summer. Luckily it's coming back quickly!

I'm loving her eagerness to learn and work. I'm also loving how the return to structure and schedule has improved our family dynamic. It certainly is a lot easier to keep up with household chores when there are only 2 kids at home during the day.

School Daze

On the way home from school.

Belen has completed her first week of school.

Aside from being VERY tired, all seemed well.

She spoke excitedly each day about the things she is learning.

The fire truck came.

So did Sparky the fire dog.

"Mommy, we ate cheetos for snack today!"

Aye yie yie.

"Mommy, we had cheetos for snack AGAIN!"

Seriously?

Not being a "morning" family.

We've adjusted quickly.

By Thursday night the kids were in bed by 7

Belen asleep the moment her head hit her pillow.

She slept until I woke her up at 6:30 to get ready for school the next morning.

She was chipper and happy.

Ready to start the day.

Fast forward. It's 2 o'clock.

I'm picking Belen up from school.

Her teacher mentions to me several occasions where Belen had hit or kicked another student.

That's not like her. 

Not at all.

In the car I ask about her day.

"Mommy, the kids aren't nice to me."

"...they call me names"

"....they make me sad"

"Mommy, can we just do school at home, instead?"

"I will talk to your teacher" I tell her.

"Can we give it just one more week?"

I hate what I'm saying, but I want to see how her teacher will handle the information I provide her.

This morning, I relay Belen's experience to her teacher.

"Welcome to the real world" her teacher replies.

"Do you really believe a four-year-old should have to experience 'the real world'?" I ask.

"That's just the way it is" she says.

I don't like what I'm hearing.

I don't like this school.

I don't like Belen's teacher.

Why haven't I withdrawn Belen from this school?

I want to hear how Monday has been.

I still hope, perhaps in error, that today will be better.

Kindergarden Prep at Home

We've moved a lot. 

It's been necessary in today's economy, for us, to be willing to move to where the jobs are. 

We spent almost a year in the last city. 

Put Belen in preschool. 

She LOVED it. 

But, then we had to move. 

We now live in an area where preschool is included in the public school system. 

We also live in an area that isn't well known for it's academics. 

So, I guess it doesn't matter so much that the preschool program is full and I couldn't get Belen in anyway. 

I still tried. 

Because I know she'd love it.

So, until the next move, we've been doing our Kindergarden prep at home. Luckily there are many talented people who have shared their lesson plans for the un-talented ones (like me) to use.

It still takes me far too long to prepare a lesson for the next day.

I cross my fingers and hope she won't be bored.  

I hope she won't compare me to her old teachers.

I hope she won't miss her friends.

But she usually is, and does, and does again.

I still try.

Somehow she learned how to add.

As difficult as it is for me to be her teacher, I never would have known just how smart she is without this experience.

Graduate School or BUST!

Zak was invited by the College of Business and Accounting at the University of Idaho to visit campus, attend a few Graduate Accounting classes, and generally get a feel for the town of Moscow. And, since they offered to foot the bill we just couldn't pass it up!

We decided to drive out there after spending Easter in Utah. Belen stayed in Utah with her grandparents while we spent several days touring campus because Zak really wanted me to have the full experience. Not only that but she wont nap in hotels, not a good thing.

Our drive took us from Utah, through Boise, McCall, through the middle of nowhere (though it was pretty...not something that I've been accustomed to after living for nearly 3 years in Eastern Idaho...if you are thinking that I'm being particularly harsh in my assessment of Eastern Idaho please visit Southwest Washington and the Columbia River Gorge...that is where I grew up and is thus my standard by which I judge natural beauty...sorry Eastern Idaho, you could never really compete. You just don't have it in you), past Lewiston, over some mountains and finally, 10 hours later, Moscow.

When we arrived it was dark and had decided to snow a bit which was sad but as we drove through downtown on our way to our hotel I couldn't help but be charmed. The town immediately emanated a quaint, homey feeling. It made me instantly at ease and excited to see what it looked like in the daylight. I didn't take any pictures of my own (I don't know why, my camera just hung out in my purse all week) I am borrowing some from the internet.

Here is a pullback shot of Moscow (including the U of I campus), the surrounding rolling farmlands and treed mountains.

Here is a shot of downtown. Charismatic, old brick buildings appear on both sides of the tree lined, 4 lane street.

I was pretty impressed by the town, there are many parks that looked clean and safe for Belen to play in as well as a community water park, swim lessons, preschool, and other activities that I think Belen and I would enjoy doing together. I was able to locate all my favorite, but hard to find in Eastern Idaho, health foods in the local grocery store. There is also a small hospital and a couple of family practitioners who were recommended to me by people we met through the U of I.

After completing our drive out there on Monday April 13th, Tuesday was the true beginning of our exploration of the University of Idaho Campus and the Graduate Accounting program.

We were invited on a tour of the Business and Accounting building. It is only a few years old and hosts many technological comforts that Zak learned to love while working on his internship in California last summer. He was pretty happy about that! Since the majority of his classes will be held in this particular building it's "comforts" were very important to him. I was just happy that there was a lunch bar area that offered healthy options because I'm sure he is not planning on packing a lunch daily to eat between classes and study breaks.

Together we attended a Graduate Accounting class and that evening were treated to dinner at a local mexican restaurant.

Wednesday Zak attended a couple of other Accounting classes and was counseled on which direction to take with his studies based on his interest in Fraud Detection and Forensics. He was offered a generous scholarship along with a Graduate Assistantship that would require him to work 10 hours a week tutoring other Accounting students. The Graduate Accounting program is only 1 year. I can handle 1 year...especially if it will be paid for!

So, at this point it looks like we will be Vandals in the Fall! Wish us luck!

Happy Graduation, Zak!!

Zak graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from BYU-Idaho on April 10th!

Thursday April 9th was a graduate and family dinner hosted by the Alumni Association. Zak's parents were able to join Zak and I at the dinner.

Zak took me shopping the evening before the dinner and

helped me pick out a new dress for the occasion!

p.s. can you see my baby bump?

Convocation followed dinner that night. Zak was able to walk and receive his hard earned Degree!

YAY!!!....huh?...

Commencement was on the following night, April 10th. None of my pictures really turned out and we got terrible seats so we could hardly see Zak but President Clark spoke. The invited speaker was the newly called and ordained Elder Neil L. Anderson. His talk really struck a chord with me but since I'm pregnant I don't remember what it was about. I did have the foresight to take notes for just this occasion (to share it with you) but I seemed to have misplaced them. I will blog about it if I find it.

I have to say that I am so proud of Zak for all his hard work. I am so happy he has found something he loves. I also really felt that the verbal pats-on-the-back that he received from President Clark and Elder Anderson were, in a way, directed at me as well. I too have sacrificed and worked hard to help Zak in any way I could even if that was simply understanding that he needed to spend long hours in the library or keeping Belen occupied so he could study at home. I love that Zak is so focused and driven when it comes to his education and I'm sure he will be the same when it comes to his career. It is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. Seeing all that hard work finally rewarded was an emotional thing for me. The end of a phase in our marriage and the beginning of the next. I'm excited to see where Zak's hard work and drive leads us in the future, as a family.

Coming Soon!

Stay with me...TONS have been happening with our family in the last 2 weeks and I barely have time to sleep these days. You can look forward to hearing all about Zak's Graduation, our trip to Moscow, ID to check out their town, the U of Idaho campus and look into their Master's in Accounting program, a little foray into Spokane to visit some great friends living out there, our new apartment in town (temporary) and Zak's summer job...I think that's it for now. Details and pictures to follow in the next few days. Keep checking back!!!

Food Storage

I have a cousin who was asking me the other day about how to do a food storage. Being the poor students that we are I had to sheepishly admit that we have very little (I have recently acquired a large bucket of wheat thanks to my mom-in-law...yay! We've gotten started!).  So, I've been searching the internet for some more info about getting started. Because of the dietary changes I've made in my little life I'm trying to learn ways to alter the standard food storage lists I've come across in order to suite our family's needs. Of course I referred my cousin to www.providentliving.org to get started but since I spoke to her I've come across a terrific blog that not only has some fabulous foodstorage recipes and how-tos...it has some equally amazing links where you can find even more help!!!

While browsing those links I came across a free class offered by the University of Georgia called Home Canning and Preservation. This is a full-on online college course that includes tests and quizzes following each section. If you pass the course (at least 70%) they will even send you a certificate of completion..How cool is that!! Beware, there is a time limit in which you must complete the course...luckily it's a whopping 6 MONTHS!!! Now, who couldn't learn a bit more about Home Canning and Preservation?  

Well then, just click here for more information!

A Little Clarification Please...

We are in Kansas City, Missouri for a summer sales job. In the fall (we just learned) that we will be in southcentral California for an internship with CBIZ where Zak will be involved in Forensic Accounting. In January, we will return to Idaho for Zak's final semester before graduating with his Bachelor's Degree...next summer, not too sure yet...and Fall 2009 Zak is planing to start Graduate School at Ohio State for one year. It is sure to be a crazy whirlwind that edges me a tad bit outside my comfort zone but we are enjoying the adventure all the same!

In the distance you can see downtown Kansas City..kook at all those treeees!

Yesterday, Belen and I went for a walk around our apartment complex and just by chance met a bunch of other women here with their husbands who are selling also. One woman's little girl squatted down to play with something on the ground inadvertently exposing a bit of her tush. Belen walked right up to her, and pulled the little girls shirt down to cover her tush. I'm so proud! My sweet little modest girl!

Amidst All the Craziness....

We are down to the wire here in the Benson household.  Zak and I both are working hard to wrap up class assignments and prepare for finals.  We will be going to Washington for the Christmas Break so I have the added responsibility of making sure my house is clean and organized and we are all packed and ready to go early early Saturday morning.  I also get to make sure the car is ready for the trip...hummm...Belen is also keeping me pretty busy...her second tooth just popped through last week and she's been a bit cranky the last couple days so I'm wondering if another isn't trying to come through as well.  Whelp, we shall see soon enough!

Despite all the craziness around here I did get the chance to sit down with an old friend and chat a bit as we played with our kiddos.  It was really nice and we got a couple pictures snapped.  Here is Belen and Kyden.  Kyden just crawled up and sat in between Belen's legs! CUTE! CUTE! CUTE!

Here Belen and Kyden were taking turns loving on Kyden's teddy bear.

Whelp...Seeing as my parents (we will be staying with them while we are visiting) are living in the internet dark ages (a.k.a. the dreaded DIAL-UP) it is quite possible that I will not have the patience to post anything (especially photos) for the next couple weeks.  In that case, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!