Back to school FHE!!

This week has clearly been a little on the crazy side but I didn't want to let that stop us from having our back to school party, even if I am a week late:) Kaj and I usually try to figure out a few options for a family theme and then we pray about it and try to find which one will work best for our family for that year.. :) This year we decided on "Their is Joy in the Journey", kind of funny that we came up with the theme a couple days before all of the drama started.... :O) Just shows me that Heavenly Father knows our struggles and it makes me feel like we are somewhat in tune with his plan for us.....

                               
I printed out a few sayings online to put up in the house, just to remind us to be Joyful. My favorite is "there is a giggle in every minute, if you find the joy within it" Ryker loved this saying because it rhymed and he loves that right now... I couldn't find a cute printable for it so I made my own, BET YOU CANT TELL ITS THE FIRST PRINTABLE I'V EVER MADE.... haha I know its awful but you can read the saying and that's more than what I thought I was capable of so I'm happy with it:) I am on the hunt for a big framed sign that says "Joy in the Journey" so if you have seen one or know where I can get one, or if you are super crafty and you want to make me one I'd LOVE YOU forever:) I think this is the perfect Motto for our family right now. Things can tend to get a little out of hand with 5 kids all so young, and for me especially.. I tend to have a not so "joyful" attitude while doing my daily tasks... I always tell Ryker that attitude is everything so I am going start being a better example of that.

someone that is very skilled at making printables

and then there was me:) and yep I had to color in the lettering with a marker!

oh and then there is my ohh so sorry version of a banner:) gotta love it!!

Ok so here is the kind of funny situation.. In my mind I had this huge SUPER AMAZING party plan, for our back to school bash!! Kind of like the one featured here http://mommadarla.blogspot.com/2012/08/5th-annual-back-to-school-celebration.html.... (this super fun mom is in my ward and I sooo wish I had it together like she does)... Ya know beautiful homemade cake with a mini banner, cute glasses with fun paper straws, eating fancy food off of the best dishes we have, a HUGE back to school banner with the perfect well behaved children to show it off:)  But instead ours turned out something like this: Dirty half packed kitchen in the background, eating Little Ceasers Pizza on the floor, a TOTALLY FAILED homemade cake replaces with a store bought cars cake :) :) you get the picture, not as glamorous as I was hoping but still very fun and I love that the kids were soo excited by the theme and the cute sayings that I had printed... :) That is the most important part of the whole celebration!

This mess created THIS.......

My attempt at a rainbow cake, not the colors of the rainbow at all... And just so you know these had already baked.. they didn't rise at all!!! Major FAIL!

I asked Dad to get a pretty bright fun colored cake to replace my not so fun rainbow cake, and dad came home with this!! Yep its a cars cake :)  the boys loved it so ohh well

Eating pizza on the floor, while dad is doing this.........

cleaning off all of the boxes I put on the kitchen table after packing:)

We did manage to have some fun together though.. We talked about our theme and the sayings that I had printed for a long time.. I was really surprised that the kids were soo interested in our Motto, its soo fun to do these kind of things as they are getting older.. They ask questions and are old enough to listen and participate and it feels so much more rewarding for me.:)

I made suitcase's that we can "have with us" on our journey to find joy.

Dugi didn't know what to think about his not yet painted cars "suitcase"

In them I put a few things that would help  us to find joy. In the bottom is a Book Of Mormon because studying the scriptures will most definitely bring joy, another church book something you can read when your feeling anything other than happy, silly string to remind us to have fun as a family, bubbles to remind us to keep our attitude bubbly and Joyful, and  of course some M&M's because I made the "suitcases" and chocolate brings me lots of Joy...  

Dad didn't realise what he started when he sprayed the 1st can of Silly String IN THE HOUSE!!!! Mom, Ryker, and Briyler against DAD= Dad LOOSES:)

What is this stuff and why are mom and dad letting us do this in the house.

Its cake time.. Dugi kept singing happy birthday over and over and over:)

Kynlie got over her fear of cakes I guess... she was the first to finish her piece!!

Even though the party didn't as well as I had envisioned it, I wouldn't have changed it for the world!! :O)  

Here is Ryker on his 3rd day of school, because that's how long it took me to get it together and snap a picture before we had to leave:O) I'm soo excited for you buddy, you are going to LOVE first grade and I know you'll do GREAT!!!

Ryker Darren Jensen, 1st grade Aug 2012