Christmas Card Photo

This was one of the 100 or so candidate Christmas cards shots I took.  It's a shotgun approach.  One of them has to hit, right?  All the stars align in that one instant and everyone is looking at the same point in space, with their eyes open, and their hands in socially acceptable places, and smiles on their little faces.

Not happening so much.  But really, this is exactly what they actually look like, a sort of "Reality Christmas Card" if you will.

[Julie had to work, is now returning home, somewhere, and muttering about how cold it is.  This post was ghost written by Noah, from Julie's perspective.]

Book Update!

END OF NOVEMBER UPDATE!
15/53

1.Caddie Woodlawn
2.Cheaper By the Dozen
3.The Great Turkey Walk
4.The Great Wheel
5.In Search of the Source
6.Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7.Rules of the Road
8.Across Five Aprils
9.Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap
10.The Tale of Despereaux
11.All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud
12.The One and Only Ivan
13.Little Britches: Father and I were Ranchers
14.Miracle on Maple Hill
15.Moccasin Trail
16.The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems
17.The Winged Watchman
18.The Kitchen Madonna
19.Thee, Hannah!
20.Understood Betsy
21.Dragon Howl
22.Detectives in Togas
23.Follow My Leader
24.Gooney Bird Greene
25.Greek Myths for Young Children
26.Henry Huggins
27.The Year of Miss Agnes
28.The Family Under the Bridge
29.A Little Princess
30.The Cricket in Times Square
31.Kildee House
32.Red Sails to Capri
33.The School Story
34.The Apprentice
35.Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess (Platt)
36.The Child's Garden of Verses (Stevenson)
37.The Door in the Wall (de Angeli)
38.The Little Riders
39.The Minstril in the Tower
40.Tales of Robin Hood
41.The 21 Balloons
42.White Stallion of Lipizza
43.Captain Nobody
44.The Adventure of Sir Lancelot the Great
45.Sticks Across the Chimney: The Story of Denmark
46.Charlotte's Web
47. Rainy Day Poems
48.Homer Price
 49.Mr. Popper's Penguins
50.The Wheel on the School
51.Little Pear
52.Mrs Piggle-Wiggle 
53. Mr. Revere and I

Fantasy Football

"you are kidding, right?"

That was Noah's comment when I told him that I was planning to join my work unit's fantasy football league.  He went on to mention how he quit playing a couple of years ago because of all the time that it took and quite frankly, he was kind of tired of it.

After all, I am the one who despises wasting time.  I can't stand video games, won't watch a movie twice and usually have to be doing something else (like folding laundry) the first time I watch something.  If Noah had a smart phone I would probably have chucked it into a lake by now (seriously, tell me, how do people put up with their spouses extramarital affairs disguised as smart phones?).  Following football every Sunday and considering drafts, strategy and bye weeks doesn't exactly sound like something I would normally consider a productive way to spend my life.

Regardless of the incongruity of it all, I was determined to play and I assured him that he didn't have to help me at all if he didn't want to be a participant.  I told him that I was just going to call his buddy, who spends a great deal of time and energy on FF, and have him give me some general recommendations.  After all, I know people who play, and it cannot be that complicated. Of course, he couldn't leave it like that and so we came up with a name- "Pigtail Wave", and got our players all drafted.

Do you know what?  I love playing fantasy football.  I am a competitive person by nature, but I don't have a lot of outlets for my competitiveness at this time and stage of my life.  Beating a 6 year old in Candy Land doesn't exactly cut it, and I simply don't have the time or the athletic ability to excel in a sport.  I run "against" people at the gym (only they don't know it), but even that isn't quite enough.

So even though Pigtail Wave is a horrible team, full of heartaches and missed opportunities, I look forward to the weekends.  The boys are enthusiastic and cheer for my players and get excited if we win.  N and I talk about football and I actually have learned quite a bit! 

Next year I may put together a league so that we each can have our own team- we have 7 people in the family so can practically make our own league, and I think that could be really fun.  Or, maybe I will play at work again so that the fam can all be on the same team (mine) and cheer together. 

The possibilities are endless.

Monday Night Laundry

 I felt like a little squirrel hauling homemade applesauce down to the freezer today.  Tomorrow I will be freezing some of our homegrown carrots.  I am slightly proud of my carrots this year - I have never had much luck, and look how big these are!  And they have good flavor too!

I am decompressing at the computer tonight.  It was one of those days- rainy and cold and the kids didn't get out to play.  I honestly don't know what we are going to do all winter- my boys need their freedom and they need to run.  I swear they need at least 3 hours of outdoor large motor time to be manageable. 

Certainly they will be playing outside regardless of the cold, and they can always run on the treadmill, but somehow it is not quite the same.

Sometimes Lincoln and Deacon hide behind the video chairs across the room from each other and throw balls at each other.  Sort of like an indoor snowball fight.

*sigh*

I spent some time and money on some new clothes, but then I realized that I should really be spending the extra money on a cute (and warm) winter coat.  That is all people see anyway when you go anywhere for about 7 months out of the year here.

So now I am officially in the market for a long, super warm coat.

And maybe someone to manage the laundry...

I Can See!

I have been wanting to get LASIK surgery for years and years and I finally got it done a couple of weeks ago!

Yahoo!  I now see 20/15 out of my left eye and 20/20 out of my right.  No contacts, no glasses.  It is incredibly freeing and every morning when I open my eyes and can read the clock I feel thankful.

It was incredibly quick, and my recovery has been easy.  My new driver's license has arrived in the mail, and I haven't had any trouble with dry eyes. 

Amazing.

Pumpkins!

Pumpkins for pie! Yum!

Again

What a whirlwind life is.

Everyn and I walked into the Y this morning, I needed to catch up on some mileage for my October challenge and she was accompanying me.  I was holding her sweet little hand and we were walking slowly together, just the two of us. 

An older man walked by, stopped and smiled at us.  "oh, how I miss my kids being little like that", he said.

I smiled back and said, "I love it.  It is such a fun time."

He replied with a, "it just goes by way too fast".

And I looked at our shadows- the two of us, me tall with a bag on my shoulder and reaching down to a little hand.  Her, in her goofy overalls and hair sticking up all over and her little hand reaching up, holding mine.

I know most young moms don't like to hear when older people say, "I miss those days"- because they complain that those people have selective memories- that they are forgetting the fatigue, the endless demands, the sibling fights and the buckling, the shoes and the messy eaters.

But I am in these days, and I know that I am going to miss them when they are gone. And I am trying to cling to them even as they are flying by me - because truthfully,  I don't really care about the mess, and I don't really mind the selflessness of being a mother.  I just care about the little hand inside mine, and I know it won't be there very long.

*Soon I will tell you about my Lasix surgery, my dear Grandma, my October challenge, my wardrobe make over, fantasy football and some quote of the days.  Oh, and a fall photo shoot!  Soon, very soon...*

Books!

I love reading to my children.  I love reading simple books, chapter books, nonfiction, fiction.  I also love to listen to audio books.  I am sure I have mentioned on my blog before how I consider audio books to be one of the greatest inventions of all time.

As soon as we get in the car I turn on the current book and the kids are instantly quiet and engaged. It is also a bonus to get read alouds done while driving - I love multi-tasking!

On any typical day I read  a handful of younger kids books for the little ones and then 1-2 chapters from 2 books that we have going simultaneously.  And then of course, the audio books.

This is the list of books I plan to read to them or listen to over the next 10 months- mostly books from the 1st, 2nd and 4th grade Sonlight lists ( this list does not include short chapter books we pick up at the library):

1.Caddie Woodlawn
2.Cheaper By the Dozen
3.The Great Turkey Walk
4.The Great Wheel
5.In Search of the Source
6.Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7.Rules of the Road
8.Across Five Aprils
9.Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap
10.The Tale of Despereaux
11.All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud
12.The One and Only Ivan
13.Little Britches: Father and I were Ranchers
14.Miracle on Maple Hill
15.Moccasin Trail
16.The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems
17.The Winged Watchman
18.The Kitchen Madonna
19.Thee, Hannah!
20.Understood Betsy
21.Dragon Howl
22.Detectives in Togas
23.Follow My Leader
24.Gooney Bird Greene
25.Greek Myths for Young Children
26.Henry Huggins
27.The Year of Miss Agnes
28.The Family Under the Bridge
29.A Little Princess
30.The Cricket in Times Square
31.Kildee House
32.Red Sails to Capri
33.The School Story
34.The Apprentice
35.Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess (Platt)
36.The Child's Garden of Verses (Stevenson)
37.The Door in the Wall (de Angeli)
38.The Little Riders
39.The Minstril in the Tower
40.Tales of Robin Hood
41.The 21 Balloons
42.White Stallion of Lipizza
43.Captain Nobody
44.The Adventure of Sir Lancelot the Great
45.Sticks Across the Chimney: The Story of Denmark
46.Charlotte's Web
47. Rainy Day Poems
48.Homer Price
 49.Mr. Popper's Penguins
50.The Wheel on the School
51.Little Pear
52.Mrs Piggle-Wiggle

Ready for Preschool!

Berean is going to preschool at our homeschool group one morning a week.  She loves it, especially all of the friends that she has to play with.  She is also in Cubbies at Awana and a dance class.  Friends, crafts and talking are all very important to her!

Homeschooling

We are finally coming into a sort of a rhythm for the school year, it fluctuates a little, but for the most part we have found peace with the situation.

I don't feel the same anxiety about schooling this year as I have in the past.  Maybe I just have other things to be anxious about this fall, and so school has dropped off the stress radar.

Maybe I am just comfortable with our decision and am just settling in for the long haul.  I am no longer taken aback when people say, "well, of course your kids know all of their AWANA verses- you can work on them all day since you homeschool!", as if I am some sort of AWANA-cheater parent.  I just go ahead and tell them that is the beauty of homeschool and one of the very reasons we do it, so we can learn Bible verses when their minds are fresh and so we can take a walk or a bike ride in the middle of the day to clear our heads.

I feel like I have come to a place where I am very in-tune with my kids learning needs, learning styles and strengths and weaknesses.  Deacon is a fabulous auditory learning.  I can read anything to him and he can be walking around the room, reading a comic book and throwing a ball up in the air and will still be able to answer any question about what I am reading that I can come up with.  He learns well on the computer when he can hear a lesson as well as read it.  He is quick at math and perceptive at science and history.  He loves fiction and nonfiction and draws conclusions easily.  His struggles are reading, writing his thoughts done on paper and spelling.  We are spending a lot of time on those things this year and I am trying different approaches, specifically right brain phonics kind of stuff and styles that work more easily for kids with dyslexia.  He is improving, it is just taking more time.

Roman is a quick learner in most subjects.  Math is a little bit of a challenge, I think mostly because he actually has to put a little effort in.  He reads well and has good listening comprehension as well.  He prefers to get his work done as quickly as possible so that he can go play.  When I give him his spelling words I tell him that if he can just teach himself to spell them and can get them all right on his test, then he doesn't have to do all of the spelling "learning activities" in his book.  So that is what he does.  He really prefers to learn in a more natural, unschooling environment.

Lincoln is very quick at math.  He is a good reader and strong with phonics.  He likes workbooks and doing school with me on a 1:1 basis.  He is a poor auditory learner, however, and I am not sure if that  is somehow related to his speech difficulties or if he often just lets his mind wander and tunes me out.  I am planning to discuss that further with his speech pathologist.  He is improving with his speech, and is now working on his "th" and "r" sounds.  He likes science but could care less about social studies.

We are still doing our co-op and we also do gym classes at the YMCA.  I am planning to try to do some more field trips this year- but I have a hard time forcing myself to fit them in, because I am pretty legalistic about not missing school days, even for field trips.  I think a nice compromise is fitting the field trips in on Saturdays :)

I myself could use a few more hours in a week with which to clean and take care of domestic tasks, but I make do.  Noah has graciously taken over meal planning and also does part of the grocery shopping.  He is auditing a class this fall, however, which is taking up a great deal of his time.

All and all, things are going well and I am pleased with what the kids and I are learning.  Just gotta keep on keeping on... :)

Pretty Much the Cutest Picture Ever

Crazy Girl, Crazy Life

It has been a whirlwind around here.  I thought that things were crazy when the kids were younger- but they seemed much easier to keep track of back then.  Now they have friends and places to go- lots of places to go.

Responsibilities at both of our jobs, volunteer stuff, fall activities, exercising, homeschooling, parenting- we are feeling a little exhausted and having a hard time getting back into the fall routine.

A couple extra stressors are coming up this week, and that is enough to make me all introspective and...for some weird reason they are making me get all panicked about my wardrobe.

I know, I am in a totally bizarre mental place right now, so I think I am just going to move on from all the cray-cray and show you pictures of my sweet baby.

Ever still likes her naps.  She also likes water, boats and laundry baskets.  She has no problem being alone, and likes to explore.

Bre is very concerned about Ever's lack of hair, but it does seem to be growing a little bit.

Evie still has an amazing smile and says a few words.  She seems to have the same protruding tongue situation that Lincoln has, and so I am keeping an eye (and ear!) on that. 

She says significantly more words and makes more sounds than Lincoln ever did, so I am hopeful that her speech issues (which I am pretty sure she will have) will be less severe than his.

Ever has gotten really tall and has thinned out a lot.  She can now open almost all of the doors leading to the outside in our house.  She can't get out of her bed yet or open interior doors, which is a blessing. 

She really likes to lick things like the chains on disc golf holes.  I think it is an attention seeking behavior, much like her frequent walking around with her eyes closed and her fingers in her mouth. 

She is definitely the baby of the family- she has all the symptoms of the classic youngest child "clown" thing going on.  She can do nothing wrong in the eyes of her brothers, although her sister may see things differently.  She is also a popular figure amongst the neighborhood kids that spend a lot of time in our yard.

Some days I feel like she is much more difficult to keep track of then the other kids (except Roman!), but I am not sure that is true.  I think it feels harder because everybody else is independent, so her not being independent feels more like a glaring difference.  But it is just her age, and I don't want her to grow up too fast :) Oh, one more thing about Ever...that girl loves her daddy...

Family!

Everyn, Gma Pam, Great Gma Joyce, Roman, Deacon, Lincoln, Berean

Maybe this week I can get Noah to take a picture so that I can be in it!

It's Over

 Summer is officially over.  Tomorrow morning Moms and Dads will be taking bus stop pictures and doing a mixture of crying and dancing as their children head back to school.

But not me.  Tomorrow morning we will get up, eat breakfast and start the great juggling- helping Lincoln with his reading, while answering Deacon's constant "how do you spell ______?" I will also be keeping a sharp look out for baby, who requires a 1:1 safety assistant.

 Roman will try my patience, alternately requesting for my help so he can get "everything done right away" and insisting that his work is too hard.

Berean will want to be in the mix, working on her letters, adding her books to the large stack of texts that must be read from everyday.

We will read about sea creatures and review fire safety, The Reformation and community helpers.  3 levels of math, 3 levels of science, 3 levels of history.  Who remembers the 11th president?  How about the names of all the oceans?

 I will try to change out the laundry in between subjects, try to avoid phone calls and distractions all the while keeping a list of the emails, yard work, housework and errands that are piling up.

For I cannot stop to take care of those things during the day.  "The Cricket in Times Square" awaits being read, "God's Great Covenant" remains to be explored.

 And spelling, oh how much spelling must be learned, taught and wrestled with.

But when the day is over, the kids are outside playing and I am tidying up and getting supper prepared, I will be thankful.

I will be thankful that I got to spend the whole day learning.  Learning about the world, learning about my kids, learning about myself. 

And I am sure I will also learn a lot about the importance of the Fruit of the Spirit.

 For no one but God himself knows these 5 kids better than I do.  No one loves them more and has a greater passion for their education.

I care about their academic course, but more than that I care about their spiritual health, their emotional health and their moral compasses.

 That is why I take the time to do what I do. 

I am going to be busy this fall and I am trying to prioritize what I can and give grace to myself when I struggle.

That is the hardest part- letting go of all the possibilities and focusing on the goals I have chosen.

 But for the first time the boys have expressed thankfulness that they will be home with me and acceptance of the fact that school is a part of life.

I hope that continues.

 Noah is taking over a small portion of the boys school this fall and a large portion of the meal planning and grocery shopping.

 My girls will complicate our school, but they also will add a really fun, lively element.

It won't be long until their carefree preschool days are over, and for now we all are going to enjoy them.

Summer is over, but the fun is just beginning!

(maybe)

July!

They are finally playing together!

 July has been no slower than June.  My sister is still here from Thailand, so she hangs out with us a lot.  My other sister is waiting for her new husband to arrive, and we are waiting to meet him and for the reception.  B're keeps informing everyone that she is going to get to go to a wedding 'eception.

He is one cool dude!

My garden is actually pretty weed free, and I just picked an ice cream bucket full of green beans.  Noah fixed my lawnmower, so now the grass is actually cut as well.

A new beard!

Baseball and Tee ball are still going on, VBS is coming.  We've been playing Settlers of Catan and Pandemic with my sister.

Lincoln rocking a Mohawk

I started working on photobooks again tonight, I have 6 weeks to finish about 20 of them- which was my goal to have done before school resumes.  I don't think I can make it, but I can try!

 Backyard pool!

The Idea That Has Changed My Life

I really can't stand mosquitoes.  I know a lot of people don't like mosquitoes, even hate them, perhaps, but they still hang out in the great outdoors.

I would rather miss my kid's baseball games, fireworks, camping- any evening outdoor activity, really, then have to deal with those pesky little blood suckers.

And I also do not like bug spray.  I just don't.  It creeps me out.

So, by the time the weeds are in full swing, the bugs are too- and my garden gets neglected.

The problem became very severe this week because my strawberries ripened.

Now I have to go pick strawberries but there are so many mosquitoes I can hardly stand to be out there long enough to get all of the ripe ones.

Enter the fabulous idea: a large fan.

Don't laugh.

It is kind of embarrassing really.

I feel  like a big wimp- a suburban mom who can't stand to be inconvenienced by a few bites.

But mostly,  I just feel really smart.

I take my big old fan out to the garden with me, connected to an extension cord. 

Then I pick strawberries and week my garden, all in a nice breeze and a mosquito-free environment.

This is the life.

Another Summer Adventure!

  I know that I keep saying that we are having a great summer, but we really are :)

I could post about how my 3 year old had taken a strong dislike to going to bed,

or how my 9 year old boy is saying things like, "Mom, have you seen my necklace?"

My life is changing. 

But, parenting is about being ok with things being fluid, with change.

Next week B're will probably love going to bed and Deacon will not incessently be dancing "gangnam style".

Maybe next week I will miss the chats that B're and I have been having late at night, maybe one day I will wish that Deke was hopping back and forth next to me as we tour the zoo.

Tomorrow, next week, it will be something new.

Some problems will resolve.

Some good things will come to an end.

More problems will come.

Good times will still happen.

I almost cried last week at the park.  A little boy was there, clinging to a little car character from "Cars".  He left it in the swing, then came back for it.  Soon his Mom took it for safe keeping.  I pointed it out to Roman.  He looked a little embarassed as I reminded him that when he was little, he was never without his "Cars" cars.  I could tell he liked the memory.  

How many hours I looked for missing cars.

Now it is shoes, uniforms and
"Mom, where is my necklace?"

"Necklace?  Seriously?"

"You know, the baseball one- the one like all the kids have."

Peer pressure.

Style.

Friends.

Those are the new things.

In some respects potty training and sippy cups were easier.

My kids are not babies any more.  We are in a new stage, a fun stage.

I am not saying there will not be a #6, but there are definite perks of this life we are in right now.  Here are the pictures to prove it :)

The boys love their sisters and are always willing to chase down a little escapee

Tree branches that hold your weight are super cool finds!

Look at that smile!

She is a lot more adventurous than her sister ever was- she keeps us on our toes!

Waterfall!  You can actually climb behind the top falls

Gangnam Style on the rock

And more Gangnam style...just slightly obsessed, even though he is a year behind

Behind the falls!  You could actually crawl behind it from one side to the other.

Little Linc

Brothers!

At the falls! 

It is so fun to spend the day exploring, adventuring and enjoying the sunshine!  The girls did great, and we were all really glad that Daddy was with us this time- the .4miles up a very steep hill was better managed with 2 adults carrying babies and gear!

Hobbit in a Tree

Oh, June

Oh, the adventures that we have been having!  It is amazing what can be packed into a day- and do you know what else is amazing?

I am slowly mastering the art of "a quick stop at the pool or splash pad".

No joke.

It used to be this big production to take the kids anywhere with water, but this summer I have decided to keep it simple. 


Let's say I want to go to the pool after being at the zoo.  Before we go to the zoo, I just grab suits and a few towels.  Nope, not everyone needs their own towel. 

We pull into the parking lot and everyone does a quick change in the car (I have just been putting my suit on under my clothes or just hanging out in the wading pool in a dress).  We swim, drip dry on the way to the car, sit on towels and head for home.

It is freeing, it is amazing.

They don't have to pee all the time, they can get their own suits on (for the most part).

The boys are competent swimmers,

The girls are pretty laid back.

Everyn, of course, is a little more high maintenance, but she is also pretty content.

In between parks, swimming, little league, track camp, tee ball, playgroup and adventures we have been hanging out at home.  There are about 6 neighborhood boys (the boys ages) and one little girl (B's age) that are frequently in our yard.  500, color tag, baseball, dodge ball, Pokemon cards, swinging all take place in the late afternoons.  The girls pick flowers and play house.  The boys even have a running club.

Deacon is doing math every day and spelling everyday.  My mom is reading The Hobbit out loud to the boys and we are listening to a lot of audio books.  We just finished Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, Sarah Plain and Tall series and have now started Treasure Island.

My sister is home from Thailand so she is around a lot- which the boys love.

Noah spent a week in New York, and although we missed him, I think it was a good vacation for him.

I had my birthday and was spoiled nicely. 

I started a quest to lose 10 pounds.  I gave up my 4 pieces of toast for cheerios.  I started doing the Insanity workouts everyday in addition to regular workouts.  I hope I see results.

Soon I will get some pictures up of summer fun, and maybe some quotes of the days.

Soon I may start on my summer projects- photobooks, deep cleaning the house.

But for now, we are just enjoying summer.

What I Found on My Camera