A December Day

Painting homemade Christmas cards

Bouquet of Pencils

Fall is here!  School time has come!  "I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." - a quote from my favorite movie, You've Got Mail.  Ahh!  Love it.  Life is all apples and pumpkins.                      

Last year Justin and I much debated, prayed and discussed where Addison would attend school this year.  Ugh!  He's old enough for kindergarten!  I thought we would never come to an agreement and then of course finally did...this year he's staying home.   

It has had its ups and downs.  I've had a really hard time figuring out how to still do "life" - cleaning the house, preparing meals, making snacks, running errands, run a business, go to the library, doing church, having a garden and still spend time with my kids AND teach Addison stuff.    

This third week I think we may be into a routine and the one I post is the one that's been working, but that is sure to change, I know.  I have to remember that it's only kindergarten and that one of the big reasons we kept him home is so he can continue to be a busy 5 year old boy, playing and using his imagination, not to mention that both classical education and the Charlotte Mason Method (both of which I lean toward) agree that formal learning doesn't need to start before the first grade.

I've been reading, reading, reading and loving what I find.  The following books not only helped us  make this decision, but help guide my days and challenge me to always be trying harder.  The Well-Trained Mind:   A Guide to Classical Education at Home  is  just terrific.  The beginning and end give more of the reason as to why and then the rest of the book leads you through a "how-to"   It also has THE BEST chapter on socialization.  Awesome!  Wish I could memorize that chapter.

For the Children's Sake:  Foundations of Education for Home and School   is lovely.  It introduced me to Charlotte Mason and helped me form ideas for the type of home I want my children to grow up in.

I am in the middle of Pocketful of Pinecones:  Nature Study with the Gentle Art of Learning    This is a different book, sort of a story but full of ideas for nature study with your children.

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder I borrowed from a friend and I'm bummed it's not mind.  I want to underline every line and write a blog post including all the amazing and devastating statistics I am reading about the decline of outdoor play and how it is having it effects throughout society.

This summer I was given this book, A Charlotte Mason Companion:  Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning, as I have been exploring more of Charlotte Mason.  This book is terrific.

 I decided to piece together the kindergarten curriculum from Sonlight, adding in some Charlotte Mason elements that I have learned about and love.  I'm using this blog quite a bit as she does the same thing:  http://practicalpages.wordpress.com/ and by piecing together I mean, not buying everything from them - it's expensive.  Instead, I am ordering things through local libraries and shopping my used book sites.

We do school on Tues, Wed, Thurs mornings and Friday afternoons.  Monday is our family day and so from time to time we'll do "field trip" type stuff with Justin.  Last Monday we visited the Minute Man trail from Lexington to Concord and Addison LOVED it.  We can tell he's going to be a history buff.  We've been learning about the Revolutionary War ever since.  Not what a typical 5 yr. old would be learning at school!

School looks something like this...Tuesday:   Memory Verse, Phonics and Writing, Math, History/Geography, and Science.

Wednesday:  We play a game to follow-up with math or language skills, write letters (to our compassion children, friends moved away or family), and focus on artists or composers.

Thursday:  The same as Tuesday.

Friday:  I keep Addison up during rest time as we are at Bible Study at the church all morning.  We do math, some more history/geography and practice the piano.  We might also work on an ongoing project like these planet mobiles...

Everyday we read our "read alouds" (right now we're reading The Boxcar Children which I never read and we both are LOVING IT!)  before rest time and do our Bible reading before bed at night.  We spend cozy afternoons on the couch reading, reading, reading library books.  This all occupies a little of Eliana's time as she wants to be  involved as much as possible, but she usually just prefers to be in proximity to us doing her own thing.

This little guy, however, is off doing whatever please his little heart.  He plays really well on his own.  If it stays too quiet too long, he is definitely a child in which that means trouble.  He really makes this whole schooling things pretty challenging!  But oh, how he keeps us smiling!

So that's what I've learned so far.  It will probably all change next week :)  but we're making progress and having fun during it all!

The not so perfect Family Day.

Last year we got a groupon to a fabulous family park about an hour and a half away - Davis Farmland.  We took the kids on a hot, humid day that ended in thunder-storms.  They loved it; we loved it - it was a great day.

So this year, I had kept my eye open for another coupon because it is pretty pricey (for us!).  We got another 50% off one and headed out a few weeks later.  The weather was very similar to the year before - hot, hazy, humid with threatening thunder-showers.  But, that's about where the similarities end.  

I LOVE family days.  I LOVE traditions.  I LOVE quality time and making memories.  But this day started all wrong from the very beginning.  We weren't out the door till 10am and then we had 3 stops to make before actually "starting".  Once we were about 15 miles away, I realized I left all the kids water bottles I had chilling in the freezer, in the freezer!  Now, I don't know about other kids, but my kids drink water.  I mean - all.day.long.  Constantly.  And they freak and throw tantrums about not having their water.  

So, other families might stop and buy bottles of water or just buy drinks there.  But no, this family packs snacks and lunches so there is no extra expense.  This mother knows that if we buy one water bottle we must buy 3 water bottles and 1 if not 2 water bottles will end up spilled all over 1 or 2 children.  Just not worth it to me.

BUT, at about 30 minutes in while they are eating their packed snack of peanut butter crackers (I know, who doesn't want water with their peanut butter crackers?) and they realized mommy has no water for them, all kinds of craziness erupts.  

So.  when we pull in 2 hrs. later, someone is still upset that we have no water.  (At this point, Justin has purchased a gallon of water at a gas station when we gassed up, but guess what?  yup, no cups.)  It's hot and sticky outside.  We're already sweating.  Samuel is throwing a fit and arching his body cause he doesn't want to go in the stroller and someone else has to pee.

The day pretty much continues like this off and on with someone remembering they're thirsty (we did find one sippy cup in the back of the van that the 2 littles "share" (ha ha! not willingly) and J and I's 2 coffee mugs are washed to use too.  Then someone is sweating or someone wants to go in the jumpy cow but someone else wants to have their face painted.  Meanwhile, Justin and I are just SO HOT.  

We decide it must be time to eat and find a little shade to sit in while we pull out our loaf of bread, jar of PB and jar of honey (yes, I didn't even pre-make the sandwiches), our apples and newly purchased pampered chef apple corer/slicer.  Earlier in the day we were warned by a panicked father to NOT go near the playground because his son had been stung there and he was telling everyone of the dangers.  Justin looks at me like - it's summer.  There are bees.  People get stung.  Get over it.  But then, guess what?  Yes, Sam has taken off his shoes while I am making sandwiches and steps on a bee.  

He's crying.  Eli's crying cause she wants more and no one is listening to her.  Addison's worried about more bees.  I'm sweating.

Then, I go to slice the apples while balancing the slicer and apple on my legs (not recommended) and cannot get it to slice all the way through.  So what do I do?  Turn it upside down and push with my fingers toward the blade, something explicitly warned not to do in the instructions, and proceed to slice the top part of skin off my thumb.  Blood comes pouring out of my finger and down my hands as I calmly tell Justin - I think you need to find one of those first aid boxes.

Anyway, the day pretty much proceeds as such with the kids only sleeping about 30 min. in the car on the way home and having pretty much total meltdowns before they get in bed that night at 9pm (because, oh yes, did I mention we went straight to their VBS program that went from 6-8pm?)  Yup.

So, as much as I love family days and quality time and making memories, this was one I wanted to cry about (and think I actually did).  Justin reminded me several times on the way home that the kids had fun, at least we think they did.

on the safari

checking out the turtle

...and the goose

Eli's the size of a mini horse - who knew?

brothers

Bits and Pieces

FOR TODAY:  Thursday, March 1

Outside My Window... IT IS SNOWING!!  We've waited all winter for this (it's only the 2nd time it has snowed!) and of course when it comes, 3 out of 5 of us are sick.  boo.

I am thinking... about how blessed I am with my friendships.  I have 3 strong ones that go back years but that survive at a distance and 1 super close (in proximity).  so thankful for them and what each of them bring to my life.

I am thankful for... Fridays - that's tomorrow.  I love Fridays!  I get to workout in the morning, go to Bible study, have an stay-in date with J and sleep in the next morning!!

From the kiddos...Eli and Sam are slowly recovering; Addison has some exciting news of his own I'll share soon.

From the kitchen... Nothing today.  Yesterday I endeavored to make 4 loaves of bread.  Still trying to find that perfect loaf of sandwich bread.  But I am thinking I need to come up with some sort of monthly meal guide...

I am creating...oh gosh, I have so many projects going.  I am currently "re-creating" the grand foyer of our house.  Yep, the time has come and I am SUPER excited for all its plans!

I am going... possibly to the market, possibly to the paint store - possibly no where.

I am reading... The Zookeeper's Wife:  A War Story - amazing!  John Adams - still working through it, but really enjoy it.  A Praying Life - transforming.  For the Children's Sake - inspiring.  love!

I am hoping...For joy today.

I am hearing...Samuel's grunts as he explores things on the counter he's not supposed to.

Around the house... It's a bit of a mess.  With all the sickness, it's been hard to keep up and I feel like I need to wash every blanket, pillow and random sock I find.

One of my favorite things this week...Snuggling all day yesterday with Eliana.  That just never happens.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

while i was reading to eli and sam the other day, i heard sam in the dining room saying "stu"  "stu!" (which means stuck). we got up and found this.  we laughed very hard and took a few pictures before helping him out... :)

This Moment

Merriest of Christmas' to You!

a little late, but better than never, no?

Ours was so merry and bright!  More to follow...

Birthdays...pt.2

So Mr A. wanted a football themed 5th birthday.  Specifically, a Tom Brady Patriots football party.  He's been planning since, oh...his 4th birthday!  We held his party in the church fellowship hall since we were planning on having a lot of moving happening.

The morning started with his birthday spankings from daddy.

And the siblings showing off their unpainted football helmets.  Addison was very excited about these, despite his face in this picture.

We played pin the football between the goal posts...

And decorated their football helmets...

Lunch, complete with a football cake to end with!

But I think by far, the biggest hit of the party was the Ultimate Football Challenge...

This was awesome.  Addison was the first to try it out, but by the time more kids had had a chance, you should have heard the shouting and cheering going on in that place.  So much fun!

Addison, You are full of imagination.  Whatever strikes your fancy becomes a full blown adventure for about a week if not longer.  From pirates to knights, superheroes, astronauts or cowboys, you have lived the life of all of them this year!

We started school at home and you love it.  You are a serious learner who takes in information very quickly.  Your old friendships have deepened and you have begun several new friendships this as you have become more outgoing with those you don't know.  

You strive for your daddy's attention and love playing and working with him whenever you can.  You are a great helper and enjoy the company of your siblings.  

You are finally willing to have your hair washed and have started taking showers all on your own!  You LOVE reading and books and our trips to the library have become a weekly highlight for you.

You are emotional and sensitive and we are working on teaching you how to deal with your disappointments and frustrations.  This year you have begun to have chores and you are learning what it means to work hard and do good work.  

You are getting more comfortable with dogs and now think you might just like to have one...

You love going for rides, shopping, watching tv and drawing.  You have bloomed into quite the artist this year!  

You learned to ride your bike without training wheels and are getting much more brave about going into deep water.  You played T-ball with the Y this year and LOVED it.  

You are a planner and like to see things through to the end.  You would rather know that plans than being surprised and you do well with having a schedule.  

Your inner sweet spirit that has always been there continues to shine through at age 5.  We love you very much, Addison Christian, and are very proud of you.

Birthdays...

Life has been too full for us this fall for me to spend much time recording things on our blog.  I miss it when I don't however because it's a great place to collect pictures, stories and the going-ons of our family.  It has already proved to be fun for our family to look back even 3 years here and see what was happening then and how much things have changed.

All that to say, I missed recording some very special occasions in our family - birthdays!!  And our Samuel Davis celebrated his first one!  He was lucky and got to celebrate it twice...

We've never really done a theme birthday for 1st birthdays and didn't for Sam either, however, he did get a special birthday cake from mama.  This little guy LOVES dogs.  loves them.  So, I made him a doggy birthday cake that turned out pretty cute...

It was just our family celebrating with him that night.  We had tried 2 or 3 times to go apple picking at a nearby orchard with friends.  I was going to pack a picnic and buy cider donuts for us all to enjoy in the field, but each time we tried, it rained :(

A few weeks later we were able to make a quick trip out to Oregon to be with family - Samuel's first trip West!  His Aunt Juanita threw him another little party out there.  We've never been able to celebrate the kids birthdays with them, so it was very special.

Samuel Davis,

What hasn't happened to you in the past year?  It's been your entire life!  From infant to toddler, this year has been a whirlwind as you learn about this family you live with and how to make each one of us laugh and each one of us crazy!

You have a sense of humor like none other.  I've noticed it since you were 4 months old.  You love mischief and think it's hilarious to get a rise out of anyone.  You love water, animals and especially dogs.  You dislike most foods but love seeing it thrown on the floor or the feel of it rubbed through your hair.

You started crawling early (6 months), walking at 12 months and talking around the same time.  At 15 months now, you have countless words and are such a mimic.  You and your sister gang up to form the trouble troupe quite often.  You LOVE going outside and hate being left out of anything.  You hold your breath in attempts to get attention and have succeeded in passing out more than once.

You are loud, busy and happy.  You have turned the volume of our lives up a couple of notches and we wouldn't ever want it any other way.  

Happy 1st year, my son.