As I talked with my husband as he got ready for work this morning, we discussed how awesome raising teenagers is. Our oldest has been struggling with dealing with "meanness" from her peers for a while now. I'm not sure I have the answer to the best way of helping her. But I found these great quotes today. I'm gonna share them with her later. You can enjoy them now.

Rejection. Adversity. Failure. Not exactly steppingstones to success. Or are they? We've all heard of celebrities who refused to let hardships stop them on the road to victory. Their stories tell of dozens of unsuccessful experiments, missed swings, endless rewrites, and humiliating performances. Although they have been the objects of the critical judgment of authority figures and peers, they never allowed harsh words to dull their aspirations and destroy their dreams.

The next time you receive negative criticism, dig through how lousy it feels and try to find something in some inspiring quotes for teenagers that can help you improve. Instead of feeling frustrated, stupid, sad, fearful or defeated, just read the below inspiring quotes for teenagers and mull about how much poorer this world would be if these people gave up believing in themselves and let the judgment of others keep them from accomplishing their goals.

Kindness and honesty can only be expected from the strong. - unknown

“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.”

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

-audrey hepburn

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

-albert einstein

Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.”
- Voltaire

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" -- Eleanor Roosevelt

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. ~Judy Garland

Good Luck Shelby in your Junior Year of High School. We'll keep our prayers in your direction. We'll also say a few for ourselves as we try to direct you throw to Adulthood.

Are you ready for some Football?!

We really enjoy football season around our house. Whether watching Ricky play or watching our favorite teams play on tv...it is a big part of Fall.



Ricky left Utah not wanting to play football anymore. We were so blessed to move here and find a wonderful team. Ricky learned that hard work does matter and it will get you where you want to go. He came here and was the 3rd string QB. The coaches practiced him with the other two boys. He looked good. But for the first few weeks his heart wasn't in it yet. He still was deflated from his past 2 years experience. But the coach saw he had potential. Rick kept on him and the coach continued to practice him. Then one day he let go of the past and embraced the experience he was having now. It was obvious he was a good QB. He was able to play in one quarter of the Jamboree as QB. Then the next 2 games he played a quarter. The 3rd game he played a whole half. By the 4th game he was the teams starting QB.



He was picked as the captain



Here are some of my favorite pictures from the season







I love these scriptures in teaching that hard work is worth it.

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7

Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23 (see Colossians 3:22- 4:1)

Ricky's football idle made this great quote

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard!" - Tim Tebow

Fall in Florida

Fall comes later than we have been used to this year. We are having a great time experiencing different things, and some old things in a different way.

We made a trip to St. Augustine Beach and had an amazing time. I had forgotten just how much I love the beach. Rick sat with Shelby and the two of them hunted for sharks teeth. They didn't find any, but had a great father daughter experience both will treasure for a long time. Ricky and Taylor spent the entire time in the water riding the waves. They both want to take surfing lessons. The whole day left everyone with a big smile from the experience. We can't wait to make the trip again.



Taylor started Fall swimming season with Bolles swim school. It is a lot more rigorous than she has experienced before. She has been working hard. Swimming here is all outside. She might still need that parka after all. She swam her first meet last weekend and did amazing. She bettered all her times. Some by more than 10 seconds. But she feels she still has a long way to go. Many of the swimmers have Olympic dreams. Taylor doesn't have that big of a dream...she just wants to make the high school team next year. wink. We are so proud of her.



We went on our first field trip of the school year. We went on a nature walk in some swamp land. Definitely different than the nature walks we took in the Utah mountains. Ricky probably had the most fun. He was so enthralled will the huge grasshoppers, big spiders, swamp water, different plants, etc. Taylor was brave enough to pick up craw fish.

This weekend it got a little cooler here. It was in the 70's. I opened the doors and enjoyed the cool breezes. It made me think about the fall air in Utah. I did enjoy that crisp air and fall colors. Now we'll have new memories of trick or treating in an actual costume, not our coats.

Hi Ho Hi Ho ..It's off to school we go..

We made it to Florida. It was a fun trip with Taylor across the country. For my first time driving that distance, I was a bit nervous. Thank goodness for modern technology. The GPS gets me everywhere.

I got here in time to register Shelby for classes at the local High School. We were careful in picking the location we rented in. Florida ranks their school A,B,C,D, and F. We were told to stay out of Duval county, and we did. We moved to an area where the schools are ranked A.

I was nervous going to the high school. I was ready for them to give us a hard time. But they were very nice. The counselor went out of his way to help Shelby out. She was able to register for
1. Drama I
2. childhood Development (college credit)
3. Trigonomitry/analytical Geometry
4. Honors Chemistry
5. AP English
6. Spanish I

Because I am unfamiliar with Florida and what is available here for homeschoolers I got Taylor and Ricky registered for Connections Academy. It is an online school here. K12 (curriculum we have used before) requires that you have attended Florida public school prior to enrollment. I was happy to find out Connections Academy doesn't have that requirement for 6-12 grade.

Ricky has already started football practice and is doing great. He really likes his coach. He is a really fair man. Yells at everyone equally. wink.

Shelby has also started cheerleading and is on a level 4 team. She landed her tuck on her own with out a spotter the other night. So proud.

Taylor will be swimming with Bowles swim team. They sent 4 swimmers to Shanghai this year to compete in the World Games. She starts today.

We will be going to our first Homeschool activity this Thursday. We look forward to meeting new friends.

Unpacking will take some time. We are going to a house that is 1/3 the size of our old house. Finding places to put things will be tricky.

We look forward to the new adventures.

Amazing Independence Day

This 4th was bitter sweet for me. Rick, Shelby, and Ricky headed to my moms on the first leg of our move to Florida. Why the kids went is for another post. This post is about missing them terribly. Taylor and I were alone for the first time.

I love modern technology that allowed us to see pictures of each others activities, phone calls wherever were were, and TV to watch amazing fireworks, and our favorite movies. We are so blessed to be able to look for work wherever it might be, and to have the freedom to move. We can drive from state to state and enjoy this great country.

A friend of mine posted this amazing quote on her Facebook page and I have to share it!

" It will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more." ........John Adams July 2, 1776

As a homeschooling mom I get so excited when I find the origination of things. My 15 year old daughter asked once who's idea was it to have fireworks on the 4th.

I am a bit emotional. We try very hard to let our children know just how blessed they are to live in such an amazing country. To have FREEDOM. Freedom is unique. It fits into our Heavenly Father's plan for us. To be able to choose who and what we become. To make choices, and live with the consequences.

Our great nation is doing that very thing right now. The country as a whole elected someone who promised to "take care of things for us". We wanted to give our freedoms away. Now we are paying the price for those choices.

God Bless America!

Way down south upon the Swannee River....

Well, after 4 years our Utah experience is coming to a close. Rick accepted a job in Jacksonville, Florida and starts there July 5.

Some of the things we enjoyed while we were here..

1) Our homeschool community. I really loved the classes families shared. The opportunity for my kids to learn such a wide variety of lessons is priceless.

2) Skiing in January. We made great friends on the mountain and really enjoyed the experience and opportunity to learn to ski well.

3) Great swim team for Taylor. She went from learning the butterfly to earning a state qualifying time in the event.

4) The opportunity for Ricky to take lessons with college players in football and baseball.

5) Miss Utah Outstanding Teens

6) EFY

7) Going Salt Lake City and enjoying the Christmas Devotional given by the first Presidency of the Church.

8) Watching conference in our PJ's in front of the TV.

And of course family and friends that have been there

I have been busy looking into homeschool groups, high schools, swimming clubs, football leagues, etc. Two homeschool groups have already reached out to us. I'm excited to meet them. Two high schools in the area we will be in have A rankings. Shelby will be attending one of them and participating in their Dual enrollment program. Football is through Pop Warner leagues. We are happy to be doing that again. I still am looking into swimming clubs for Taylor. One of those things on the list to get done.

Stuck?

Life is such a big puzzle. And as an adult I am seeing for the first time just how big the puzzle is. The puzzle can have tiny pieces or gigantic ones. It really depends on how wide your perspective is.

I am now looking at life through my teenagers eyes. To them everything is major. But to me I see it really isn't. All my 11 year old can see is today. It is very hard for him to see beyond. But I can see their talents and I can see opportunities and point them in the right direction.

I have also lived in one place for a very long time growing up. I remember as a kid feeling like I was "stuck" there. The only choice in life was what was there in that one community. The only people available to make friends with were those in my area. The only school choice was the local public school. The classes they offered were it. The teachers were it. As a convert to my church, the leaders were it. What they planned and taught were it. I hated being "stuck".

As a young adult I tried many things. I wanted to "get out". So I did. It was fascinating to me. I really enjoyed meeting new people. Finding out that there was more than one way to live and do things was amazing to me. I knew it. I loved the adventure.

When I had my kids I didn't want them to feel "stuck". When we faced our first obstacle, my first instinct was to say "no way". It was when my daughter was in kindergarten.

The school administration told me they knew what was best for my child. I refused to accept that. I knew what was best for her and was motivated to find another option for education. I prayed hard for a different opportunity. At first I thought I had to move. But not so. That is when I discovered homeschooling. My husband's attitude was "we can try it. If it doesn't work we can always send her back." Well it did work. And so many other doors and opportunities opened for her and us. Also that year she was faced with being "stuck" with the same friends. When we brought her home she met new people. Kids who had families that had values became her new friends. We met a great Methodist family who became our best friends. We had the opportunity to teach them what "Mormons" really believe. Their dad was a minister and had a different perspective about our church now. He stopped the anti-Mormon rhetoric around him. He even took an Easter CD we gave him and told us that our church WAS a christian church after all.

When we moved from Florida I thought it might be hard to homeschool somewhere else. But in Colorado we had more opportunities. They had a state homeschool program called K12. We signed up. It didn't require jumping through any hoops with the state. I felt we could do that until we found our footing and discovered "how it is done" there. Through K12 we found a local coop. We started going there. We made friends quickly and enjoyed the classes. We also were able to leave a good impression with the families there. Again we had missionary opportunities. Now conversions, but we were able to change the way other denominations looked at us "Mormons". We were able to convince them that we are Christians. We were able to stop locals from "hating" our religion and the people who are members. We showed them we aren't teaching false doctrine that is against the bible. On the contrary, we embrace those teachings and have another testament of Jesus Christ we teach from as well.

We also found out that homeschoolers could take classes from the local school. My kids loved going to classes twice a week for a few hours. Shelby was placed a grade ahead and did very well. Her confidence in education and her ability to learn really soared. Again my circle opened. Now I found out there was even more for my kids out there.

I was really nervous to be moving again. This time to Utah. But little did I know the opportunities that waiting for us there. So many coops. So many classes. So many places to visit on field trips. So many friends. No friends in our neighborhood. But we weren't "stuck" there. Our best friends were but a short drive away. Park days were where I learned about all the opportunities around us. Long story short..My oldest was able to be one of the first students to participate in an online high school that gave her the experience to become a great leader. My youngest kids have taken classes parents only dream about.

Now as my husband is looking for another job it is easy for me to look outside and feel confident in what lies ahead for us. I know to look for other opportunities. My family isn't "stuck".

Heavenly Father knew what we needed. I just needed to be patient and learn. I know that our family has great adventures ahead of us. We can do anything.