Tuesday

Our friend Geneva took this picture of Sam.

One thing I have realized about FB is that a post doesn't last there like it does on the blog.  And since this blog is pretty much our family scrapbook, there are things I need to put here, to remember.  So if you read this on FB, sorry.  It will probably happen again!

Last night at dinner:

Sam said to me, "Mom, guess how I knew how many pieces of chicken I have?"

"You counted them?"

"Nope.  I secretly knew it.  Because of the Force."

Jack and I looked at each other and had a good laugh.  I hadn't heard that one before!

This is also the same Sam who earlier in the day told me he wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween.  Then he said in the next breath, "Or maybe Pooh Bear."

I love that in his mind, there's not that big a jump from DV to Pooh.  I, for one, will surely steer him in the Pooh direction.

Tuesday's baking project:  mini pumpkin whoopie pies.  Yum and yum again.  We made one batch then decided we needed to make another.  Find the recipe here.  Perfect for a pretty fall day.

Last thing:  a little piece from some of Jack's writing (IEW) that he did this morning.  I love this program and how it teaches the kids to take something kind of plain and transform it into something much more exciting to read.  We spent a lot of time last year frustrated with each other over writing.  I think this is going to help us both.  

In this assignment, they had to make a key word outline of the original paragraph, add strong verbs, adjectives, etc...then write a rough draft.  Here's one of his paragraphs (with some punctuation help from me and with his permission, of course!)

Goodman John Howland was bored from being below the deck.  So, he decided to go above.  Then quite unexpectedly the huge ship rolled and he was thrown overboard!  As he fell he managed to grab a rope dangling near him.  Every second his grip was being loosened by the powerful waves crashing against him.  There he was dangling and transfixed with fright.

Friday

My personal baker:  making pumpkin bread ALL by herself!

I am enjoying the slower pace of this rainy day.  Well, it was rainy.  The sun is trying to peek through now.  Jack is feeling a little under the weather so we're taking the afternoon off, which frees me to do other things.  It's funny how when I get time like that it takes about 10 seconds for my mind to fill with all the things I "should" do.  And I have done some of them but the list is soooo long!  So here I sit taking a little break.

We went to the library this morning for storytime.  Sam and Lucy had a great time.  I am convinced we have the best children's librarian ever.  She's great.  Kayla and Jack checked out books and read in those big comfy chairs while the little kids had some fun.

Now we've got the windows open, a candle burning, and Kayla's bread in the oven.  I'm thinking about spending a few minutes reading on All Creatures Great and Small.  Started it last night after a friend lent it to me.  So far, so good!

A Little Visit

"Well, Thursday is usually our day to visit the old people."
So said the couple we visited tonight who are in their 80s.
I love that..."the old people."
I am sure they are a great encouragement to those Thursday friends.  We sure enjoy them.
Tonight they had Ice Cream Sammies (ice cream sandwiches) in the freezer for when the kids come.  Our Sam got the first one because, of course, he's a "Sammy", too.  They also pulled out some matchbox cars for the kids to play with.
They've lived here maybe a year and always joke that they don't know anyone except Jack.  They think he's a friendly guy.  I agree.
When we left, the mister said, "I sure hope you read to your kids."
"Sure do!"
What a blessing these sweet people are to us.

What We're Reading

I found these books on a chair the other day.  Kayla's stash for the day.  We've been reading Ginger Pye together but sometimes she peeks ahead.   I don't remember reading any of Eleanor Estes's books when I was a kid but I really enjoy them now.
We're studying American history in CC this year.  The historical fiction available is great.  Such a good way to enrich their learning.  So, Kayla is reading Sarah Plain and Tall in addition to some of the "My America" books.  Jack is reading through Johnny Tremain and enjoying it.  It was a little after 8:00 when he came down this morning and I mentioned him being a sleepyhead.  He smiled and shook his head.  "Mom, I've been reading Johnny Tremain for the last hour."  Huh.  Little did I know.  But I'm so glad.
We're also reading Carry on Mr. Bowditch together in the mornings.  Even Sammy enjoys this one.  I think the sheer amount of reading the kids can do, either on their own or with me, is just about my favorite thing about homeschooling.  Not that kids in school can't read a lot, too, but the time I can give them for reading is priceless.
Sam's favorite right now is not historical but is a classic.  Make Way for Ducklings.  We've read that one a lot lately.
Love it.
p.s. I just finished Russian Winter.  My reading time has diminished considerably since we started school so it took me a long time to finish but...it's a good one.

Nice Ending

I have loved this cloudy, cool weather we've been having.
Perfect for the pumpkin bread we baked this afternoon.
And for the closet cleaning/clothes switching I did this morning. Although that was one job that drives me crazy.  I'm always glad to have it done but ugh, what a process.  (And I don't really think it's done yet...)
All of us took the day off from school.  Brian and Jack went back to the raptor observatory but it was cold and foggy there so they didn't see too much in the way of birds but caught glimpses of some other wildlife. Tonight the kids and I were playing Sorry when Jack looked out the backdoor and spotted an owl high up in a leafless tree behind our house.  We weren't sure it was an owl, being that it was dark but when it flew right over our heads, we were convinced.  It's wingspan was pretty wide and it just glided so effortlessly.  I almost ducked even though there was no need.  Sam and Jack tried their best "whoos" to get it to respond but I don't think the owl was fooled.
Pretty neat way to end the day.

Fall Morning

During the summer I can't stand the thought of cooler, shorter days.  But every year, my fickle heart is ready to once again settle into the dark mornings of fall.  I pull out my treasured gray sweat pants and plan to live in them until next spring.  I find myself waking earlier just to enjoy my hot coffee and the stillness of our home.  The kids are still tucked in bed, and I try to settle in with my Bible and blanket before the house awakens.  Anyone with kids, especially ones that are home all day, knows that quiet is not always easy to come by and so I enjoy it when I can.  Hopefully when the clock strikes 7 and little feet hit the floor and descend the stairs,  I will be ready to not just take the day as it comes, but to enjoy it and be thankful.

Trains and Hats

Not too much out of the ordinary going on today.  I guess the new thing in our house is that the kids (depending on age) take turns either helping or preparing lunch.  They have made it fun by pretending to be servers at a restaurant.  It makes lunch take a little longer with a few more choices than I'd like sometimes but, hey, they're having fun and serving each other.
Jack helped Sam put together the train this morning.  Sam has spent a good part of the day playing with it.  Well, when he wasn't defending it from Lucy.

Lucy is into hats lately, especially if she can put them on backwards.  Jack laughed out loud and said she looked like a "crazy college student."

Cookie Thief

Going through my head today:  "A cheerful heart is good medicine."   Jack's cheerful heart has been good medicine for me.  I'll admit I don't always take kindly to hearing "be cheerful" but it is a good admonition.  What good is being grumpy anyway?

To bring you some good cheer:
We made chocolate chip cookies this morning- it is Tuesday afterall.  Two batches.  One for us that Sammy and I made and one for a college group some friends of ours lead that Kayla made.  
I'm cleaning up when I hear, "Hey!  Lucy has another cookie!  Cookie thief!"
Sure enough I looked at the cooling rack and one corner was empty and that little rascal was out on the back deck with a cookie.  
She smiled so big and said "I ookie feef."  
I love it when one of the kids says something that makes us ALL laugh.

Life is Good

It seems to me that in a lot of ways, we romanticize childhood.   The message we often get is enjoy it now because when you're older, life is hard.  It's not fun anymore.  Those were the glory days.  And I think I sometimes I fall into this and find myself wistfully remembering my own childhood,  sometimes sad that those days are over.  But what a message to send to our kids that this is it and it's all downhill from here.
I tell you what.  I am finding that every stage of life is good.
It is good.
Sure, there are things I miss about different parts of my life thus far.  And life is hard, no matter how old you are.  But there are also new things, new ways of relating to people, new experiences that I love.
I thought of this in particular this weekend.  We spend the day with most of my extended family celebrating both of my grandmothers' birthdays.  That was sweet in and of itself.  These two lovely ladies that have cared for me all my life.
It was so nice, though, to get together with everyone and share what our lives are like now-our day to day, our children, just life.  To enjoy each other and to enjoy this life we've been given.
This, too, is a part of who we are.

Grandma Pearl with her great-grandkids

and Grandma Lucy with hers.

Our Sammy

His will is strong and his heart is sweet.
He has the best smile.
His laugh- also the best.
He can be really happy or really...not.
He has always loved to be held.  There were times when I thought he would never get down.  Now he does.  And I am glad but it means he is growing up.  So I will hold him in church and pull him into my lap for stories because I know one day that won't be his thing anymore.

He loves to wrestle.  Even the big boys.  And he often wins.  He's tough.  Or wants to be.
He's shy when we're out but at home, he likes to be crazy- do crazy dances, make crazy faces.  We all get good laughs of our own when he's in the mood.

He's starting to like writing and letters and "school."  He wants daddy to play soccer and baseball.  He likes to be my helper in the kitchen, especially when we're making something sweet.  And he cannot go to bed without a book.

He's not afraid to tell it like he sees it.  Here, he had just said, "See Mom- I can do two things at once."  This a few days after I told him I couldn't do more than one thing at a time and he said "Well Papa can."
When I told him he couldn't watch tv again because too much of it is not good for you, he said, "Mom!  It's not like you eat tv or anything so it can't really be bad for you!"

I think our Sammy will be a go-getter.  I hope he keeps a tender side and uses his determination to serve his Maker.
And I hope he will always love his mama and give her all the hugs she wants.
I guarantee if you knew him you'd want one of those hugs, too.

Rainy Tuesday

I am happy to say today has been a fairly good day.  We have designated Tuesday mornings for baking before we get started on our school work.  Brownies and chocolate chip banana bread.  Yum!  And all on this cool, rainy day.  The tornado warnings from last night were a little unnerving but I don't think anything came of them.
I'm trying to remember to look for the sweet moments in the day.  They are always there.  My own sinful heart keeps me from seeing them sometimes.  Here's a couple:

Kayla's really into playing school lately.  She's helping Sam with his ABCs.  And he loves it.  Perfect!

I always pray that these kids will be good friends- sometimes I wonder!  But this is one of those moments that give me hope.

Also:  Jack and Kayla did their own laundry yesterday, start to finish.  THAT is worth remembering!

Back to CC

Heard from Jack on the way home from  Classical Conversations and Essentials:
"Well, that's good mom.  I'm sure I'd have a beard and gray hair by the time I memorized 112 types of sentences!"  (This after we realized it's not really 112 that he has to memorize- it's only 15.)

When we got home:
"Mom, is it ok if I just go ahead and work on my poem?"
Yes, my jaw did drop but I picked it up enough to say, "Sure Jack."
This is the same kid who told me not long ago that we were unjust for signing him up for a writing class that he didn't even want to go to.

All that to say, we just got home from our first day.  Lucy's in the nursery but everyone else is in class this time around, even Sam.  And...I'm tutoring his class- the abecedarians.  First time in 10 years I'll be getting a paycheck!  It's been a long time since I've been in this kind of teaching situation but I really enjoyed it.  I was sweating most of the way through but once we were done, I decided it actually went pretty well.
The grammar and writing for Jack's class gets me excited.  I loved grammar in high school and college.  It's coming back quickly!
Now- to go and rest with my kids.  I didn't see much of my girls today- missed them!