WANTED the best therapist around.

I woke up this morning desperately trying to stay away from the pity party that I could feel coming on knowing once there negative thinking can be a slippery slope.
This week has been pretty good, but like most women I found myself utterly exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally, so like a trooper I went into the "fake it till ya make it" mode.  My mantra this morning went something like this "grin and bare it, stay positive, be grateful, it's Sunday don't ruin the mood" but I could feel that smile become brittle and forced as the morning went on. finally rationality went out the window, at that point my mood went from simply tired to "how can I keep going on this way?" dark and overwhelmed my mind went into a downward spiral, and by this point my thoughts were going something like this "I think I need some help, I wonder if there is a good therapist around?" THANK heaven for humor, because for some reason this last thought struck a funny bone, LOL anyone worth their salt has a good therapist in there pocket right? Its so in fashion. This lightened my load a bit but I knew I was still in a fragile state so I decided to go to church early and watch the choir practice. Then my thoughts went something like this "at least this way I can't yell at my kids or husband or go into a  hysterical bout of crying.
As I was sitting in the pew my thoughts went to our Heavenly Father. Even though I thought it was funny earlier, I DO have the best therapist around. He is there when ever I need him. He pays me in blessings, and only gives out advice when I am listening. He is ALWAYS right, and always knows whats best for me. He has provied assistance at all times, and the best instructional books written. When ever I need to I can go to his house and feel loved and at peace. How blessed we are to have a knowledge of our Father in Heaven and to be able to go to him when  our burdens are just too much too bare.

Well hey ya'll

It has been forever since I have posted anything! I'll admit I am finding it a bit overwhelming, the Preston family has had many adventures since my last blog! So all start back to march and work my way forward.

Urban Dwellers: Dallas TX

After Houston we moved to Dallas, we had a blast we lived right downtown the girls got to truly live in a big city. We lived on the 17th floor of a great apartment building, on the main floor their was a jazz cafe  (I loved it!) It was very modern...in fact we were told that the Mosaic (that's the name of our apartment building) was the hippest place to live in Dallas (like jay and I really cared, but we did have alot of fun).
Jason got to visit all the places he served on his mission, he even got to go on splits with the missionaries. It was so fun to meet some of the people Jason had the opportunity to baptise, in fact we had some over for dinner...loved it!

SWEET HOME ALABAMA!

Sweet Home Alabama: 

I'll have to say living in Alabama was just like coming home!!! I love the South, I have missed Kentucky for years, it was so nice to be back, and so needed for my piece of mind! We lived in a beach cottage right on Gulf Shores, What an amazing place, Gulf Shores is a peninsula that reaches out to Dolphin island, behind our cottage was a wildlife preserve and in front was beautiful white sand beaches, most of the time we were the only ones on the beach besides the locals that lived there! We could see dolphins jumping out of the ocean everyday! The girls and I made it a daily practice to collect shells in the morning, in the evening we would catch crabs and do a crab and shrimp boil for dinner ( we ate alot of crabs and shrimp!!! Its so good and cheap!). The first night we came in we were standing on our screen porch (they are all screened because the bugs are crazy!!) and Savannah yelled in great excitement "oh my gosh theres an alligator" sure enough there he was, an 6ft gator just hanging out!! So Jay got it in his head that he was going to wrestle the alligator, at first I thought he was kidding...but nope he wasn't, I have learned that when Jay get a certain look in his eyes there is no talking him out of it! So for the next couple of weeks he tried to get close to the gator and a few time got too close for me, I started to relax thinking that he wasn't going to be successful, well close to the time we were about to leave Jay brought home raw chicken, I am not going to tell the rest of the story I'll let Jay blog about it but he did wrestle that dang gator...I almost had a heart attack, after it was all said and done Jay said "Well if I wasn't a man before I sure am now"... yeah that's my husband.
We have two new family members, one turtles name is crush because he is about a foot long and a foot wide and the other is called squirt because he is only about the size of my big toe, but I'll let Savannah blog about that one :)
To put icing on the cake we made the greatest friends, Brigit and Tim Holmes from New Orleans. They had three daughters one set of ten year old twins and a thirteen year old, all girls, Savannah and Shiloh felt like they had died and gone to heaven, and they home schooled to boot!! In short I think there is a piece of my heart that belongs to Gulf Shores...oh yeah I did some great rides too, on one of my rides Jay and I stumble on to a huge civil war site called Fort Morgan!!! Heaven, Heaven, Heaven!!!

The Big Easy
Now we are in New Orleans...I love it!! The culture is so rich. The French Quarter is really cool (very old) there are buildings that are over 200 years old. The food is absolutely amazing...we have met some great people...heard some great Jazz...and seen some really weird Voo doo things, with that said the crime is pretty high. The house we are living in right now has bars on the windows, I would still live here though, the coolness far out weighs the crime:) PICTURES OF NEW ORLEANS COMING :)

Where to Now
Now we are off to Miami!!! Leaving Saturday, we will be meeting up with our long lost brother! So excited to see mike, I can't wait to hear some of his stories, he has been wandering around South America for the past year.
Miami is one of my favorite places to visit!!! We will be there for about two months! All try to post more often...love ya all, and miss you guys!

Barefoot daydreaming

Welcome to my perfect dinner party...including the best of friends and great conversation. Here's the menu yummmm. Boy am I desperate to throw a dinner party!

1. Main-Grilled Pizza with Fontina and Arugula

2.  Side-Butter Beans with Mint
Grilled Radicchio, Summer Squashes, and Scallions

3.Dessert-Gelato Affogato

Great blog for homeschoolers.

This blog looks like a great way to connect with other LDS Homeschooler's, Check it out!

Texas longhorns, Rodeo, and deep fried, Take Two!!

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My blog won't let me post more than one picture...so here are some more. I am so NOT a techie!!

Texas Longhorns, Livestock Rodeo shows, and more deep fried goodness, OH MY!!

Last weekend we had a great time, we were taken out to Brother Rowbury's Texas Longhorn Ranch, afterward we ate at a catfish fry hosted by a local catholic church (they do the fry all though Lent). Then went to the biggest Rodeo /Livestock show in the country.

High Lights

1. Met a wonderful couple, Brother and Sister Rowbury.
2. Saw, and got to feed Texas longhorns.
3. Saw a Longhorn try to butt Brother Rowbury
4. The girls got to go to the restroom in a outhouse...they thought it was awesome!
5. Video taped a armadillo.
6. We got to hold and pet pot belly pigs.
7. Saw a pig race!! Very cool, savannah won a pig nose because her pig won one of the races.
8. We ate Deep fried Oreo's, twinkies, smors, ice cream, snickers candy bar, green tomatos, and much much more...feeling a little bad about all the junk I ate...but it was goooood!
9. Took a rowboat out on the ranch pond.
10. Hung out with a bunch of super cool Catholic's.

Meeting Angels

"...when we speak of  those who are instruments in the HAND of God, we are reminded that not all ANGELS are from the otherside of the veil" Jeffery R. Holland.
I have loved visititing so many differant Relief Societies this past year, what a treasure the R.S is for women! I love this organization with all my heart, I've met so many women with open hearts and arms over the years. This last adventure in my life has really shown me how priceless my fellow sisters really are, they truley are Heavenly Fathers angels! Every R.S. I have had the pleasure of attending I've been treated like an old friend, how wonderful in my situtation when my famliy and I are in constant transition. Every sister has a purpose in the Kingdom of God...I have been able to meet many  LDS women from varying backgrounds, but with one common purpose "Charity never failieth". The only thing I don't like in meeting these fantastic sisters, is having to leave them. I am gratiful for the angels in my life.

Deep fried!

Okay...so I have a new obession...well maybe an addiction. Jay and I went to a cajun resturant the other night it was FABULOUS!!! Houston is only about three hours from New Orleans so were talkin the real deal, the food spoke right to my heart (well maybe just my stomach, but it sure felt like love). The menu had alligator and frog legs among other enticing culanary treats. But I just can't get my mind off of the DEEP FRIED PICKLES yes I said deep fried, and Mmmmm Mmmm they were so good, they are going to love my hips for some time too ( no regrets, I wouldn't even mind getting fat and happy off of the gumbo and rum drench bread pudding) I am missing Utah, but wondering when we move back am I going to miss my deep fried pickles more? no doubt! Love ya'll Jess

Become like a child.

 Today I was taught a very important lesson by my sweet daughter Shiloh. As many of you know my family and I have been traveling for several months. I have loved it...it has been a great experience in many ways for all of us, but there are time's when so much transition can be a little wearing. With that said last Sunday I was feeling down because I have always had a calling in which to serve, but with all the traveling we are never in one place longer than three weeks so we are always just visitors. So this week I got the girls some Valentines to make...Shiloh was so excited...she filled out all thrity two that I bought her, and then proceeded to give the cards to all the Hotel staff including the front desk,  house keeping, the grounds keeper, and a few of the hotel guest. The next day we made cookies, shiloh ate a few then snuck out the door and took the staff a half dozen cookies. I thought it was cute, but didn't give it much thought. Then today the front desk presented to her a very cute Valentines Day gift and a thank you. It hit me that my seven year old knew how to serve regardless of any appointed calling. I love that my children can teach me, I am going to follow her example and try to spread more kindness around...I am so excited to start blogging miss you all. Jess

To Every Season.

The other day I was marveling on how much my oldest daughter Savannah has grown. This thought shocked me " time really does fly when you are having fun". I couldn't help think that in eight, nine, ten years she will seek out on her own, and I won't alway be the center of her attention. At first I felt a sadness wash over me...life just seems to come so fast. But as I have had time to reflect each past season and future season of her life are perious and unique within themseleves.
" A mothers energy is diverted when she attempts to do it all, "all at the same time. Perhaps we can do many things; but we must exercise patience to do them in the appointed season" Shona Parker. I truly belive that mothers can try so hard at being the "perfect mom" that they end up missing some of the most beautiful seasons of our chilrens lives, I am not excluded from this catigory. One of my favorite examples of this is the bibical story of Mary and Martha from the book of Luke. We all know the story, Christ was coming to dine and teach in the sister's home. Martha was fratically trying to prepare for the Saviors visit, and in the process became preoccupied with having it just "so",  I'll stop here... I love Martha, she was a good woman, I believed that she loved the Savior just as much as Mary...she just had gotton her priorities mixed up, I identify with Martha much more than Mary most of the time, yet Mary teaches a very important lesson, Luke 10:42 "One thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part" So what did Mary do...I think the most important thing Mary's example tells us is that she knew when it was time to learn and cherish our Savior Jesus Christ...so what does this have to do with our children..."To everthing there is a season" my greatest prayer is that I stop to learn and cherish my children as much as I can...but I have realized that I can't learn or cherish if am alway wishing I was in a differant season.
We are too hard on ourselves...we need to stop and realize that our chilren were sent to us for a reason...our kids don't really care if our house is decorated, if the dishes sit in the sink for a day, if we drive a super nice car, or that we my be slightly over weight...all they wish for is a happy mother that spends time with them. With that said I am trying to live in the present season of my life and of my childrens, and in my very small way make a choice to Chose the one needful thing, the good part. With all my love Jess

Ready Set Go!!!

Well it is a new school year for the Preston family, and we are so excited! We already have a week on our belt. I have decided to post more on homeschooling mixed with other family happenings because that consumes the greater part of my time, and energy. I love it. 
This will be our third year educating at home. I hope to inform, motivate, and inspire all those that may wonder what it is like to homeschool. With that said all families are wonderfully unique, so remember there are many differant styles and reasons that families decide to homeschool.
with all my love jessica. 

PS when I changed my layout, my other blog addresses were erased, so if you get this would you be so kind to write me so I can see what is happening in your life :)

Shiloh has been in her ballet class since November...her class announced today that they will be performing with a professional ballet company(Cinderella)she is so excited about it! She will be a "court lady", if you know Shiloh she loves being a ballet dancer, in class she takes it so serious...it's so dang cute! I am such a proud mommy of both my girls!

I am back

Great to be back...I have neglected my blog far too long! I will be giving my blog the much needed attention it deserves! Great to read all about what you guys are up too!

Savannah is growing up!

I can't believe my sweet Savannah is nine years old! We celebrated her birthday last Friday it was a blast!

She is no longer a little girl, it seems like she changed into a amazing young lady over night without my notice. We are so pleased with her spirit and moral character. She amazes me all the time, she is truly one of the chosen generation the brethren talk about. Savannah has a good balance between a tough girl, yet feminine at the same time. This summer was so fun to watch her compete in BMX. Now she is learning to play the piano, and she is doing it in typical Savannah style, with all her might. She also has a great sense of fun, she doesn't take life to seriously (which is great because if you can't laugh at yourself then life is dull and boring, I think I would rather laugh than cry, life is way too short). Love ya all Jess

The Son warms my heart.

Well hello ya'all!

I realized that I haven't posted for quite some time, I am still alive, just super busy. I've taken on more cycling classes, and teaching my girls at home tends to take alot of my time (I wouldn't trade it for the world). I just want to say hello and let you all know that I am thinking about you.

I also feel so grateful for my sweet, sweet family. I get pretty sentimental when the holidays draw near. I have been thinking about Thanksgiving, and all that I am thankful for! I am quite overwhelmed when I think about all of my blessings. I am truly a blessed women. I have amazing kids, and a husband that is my best friend.

My friends all have such amazing qualities that I feel I learn from their example everyday. I have the peace and comfort that comes with living the Gospel and being able to share my load with our Savior Jesus Christ, and hearing the spirits promptings letting me know that "men (women) are that they might have joy"2 Nephi 2:25 . A few days ago I had a bit of a hard day, it left me feeling sad and dark (all of us have these days right) I came home and turned on the hymns, I was instantly comforted, my mind and soul was at peace, what a blessing to draw on the powers of Heaven and gain that sweet warm feeling that only the Savior can give. I want to say thank you all for the people that you are and that I love ya dearly Jess.

I love this Scripture John 16:33

" ... In the world ye shall have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have over come

the world."

A Bountiful Day

Ahh, harvest time is so beautiful in it's quiet earthy bountiful way. I love Indian summer, Jay and I are so blessed with great friends, healthy children, and a Heavenly Father that loves us and cares for us. This Friday was a "perfect day" my girls and I spent the day exploring books and nature. Then we rolled up our sleeves and shucked a galvanized tub full of the best tasting sweet corn "thank you, thank you Shawna and Kevin".

Time stood still with the warmth of the day and the warmth and peace that came to my heart. God is real and he is everywhere.

From Auguries of INNOCENCE

To see the World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.

William Blake