4th January, 2009
Scenes from December
I’ve been very lax about updating my blog lately and thought I’d just post some pics from our last month. The holidays were busy and joyful. Belated Merry Christmas and Happy 2009 to you!!
Putting up the artificial tree…
Christmas morning:
We all got new stockings this year – all monogrammed!
One of Daddy’s funny stocking stuffer items!
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3rd November, 2008
Face plant follies
This evening Ian was careening through the family room and kitchen with his big trucks. As he rounds a corner, he ends up on his face.
“Whoopsie daiseys!” I sing, in an obvious attempt to divert him from the whimpering sure to commence if I but show an ounce of sympathy.
In a gallant show of united support, Jeff cheerily chimes in, “Daiseys and whoopsies!”
Ian, a bit perplexed and clearly perturbed he’s not getting the compassion he feels he’s due, whines, “Nooooooo! Is not daiseys and whoopsies!!!”
Oh how I wish I caught more of these on video.
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21st October, 2008
Homeschool Camp
A few weeks ago we were blessed to be able to attend a homeschool family camp up in the beautiful (and fah-reeeezing cold) mountains. Brr.
We had fun.
No, really, we did.
The girls enjoying the paddle boats. Note big bubble jackets.
We needed snowsuits.
The mess hall.
Because no camp sharing photo collage is compete without it.
Here’s Hannah getting harnessed up to the ginormous swing.
Note helmet.
Also note teenager wearing t-shirt in 40 degree weather.
I failed to get a picture of the large group just outside the picture and to the right. They hold onto the attached rope, run down the hill with it until Hannah is far enough back and yells “STOP!” Then she has to pull hard on a harness over her shoulder that detaches her from the pulley rope and hurls her forward so that she can swing.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Emma needed encouragement. She really didn’t want to go, and who can blame her? It wasn’t until she watched Hannah go that she braved it!
That’s my girl!
Safety first.
And last, but you wonder why no one ever says it, huh?
Emma pulling her harness..
And swinging!
Trust me, just moving 3MPH in this cold was hard enough.
Ian showing off his pinecone.
It was pretty much all he did this weekend.
Another view, because pinecones are something you need to really stand back and appreciate from all angles.
The cutest kids there are!
Do I look cold? Because I am. Really, really cold. Do you see the clothing I have on? Do you see padding in that hoodie? Or a nice fleece scarf? What about a warm hat and ear muffs? No? That’s because I didn’t bring any. I froze all weekend. Do you see the icicles forming on the tips of my hair follicles? Oh believe me, they’re there.
See hubby on the left? He’s laughing because I packed warm clothing for everyone but me.
Har, har, honey poo.
More camp pictures to come….
Posted at 2:53 pm | Comments (2)
21st September, 2008
Giggles for the day….
After church this morning, my sweet friend Nancy came up to say hello.
Looking at Ian she says, “Hello Ian, you look very handsome today.”
Ian replies, “Yeah. I’m BIG!”
After we giggle a bit over that reply, Nancy asks him if he sang at church today.
“Sang ‘Jesus Loves Me’” (which we didn’t…lol)
“Ohhh,” says Nancy. “Yes, Jesus loves Ian. Mrs. Nancy loves Ian too.”
Pause.
“Well, not as much but…”
Too, too funny!
Posted at 6:09 pm | Comments (2)
19th September, 2008
Thanks for the reminder!
Getting lunch on the table today, I needed to use the bathroom (hopefully that’s not TMI – I’m guessing since we all do it, it’s not a shock to anyone). Anyhow, I couldn’t wait until after lunch so as I head for the hallway, I tell the kids, “Gotta go potty! Be right back!”
Ian screams, “Don’t go in pants, Mommy!!”
I just love age 3.
Posted at 12:39 pm | Comments (4)
12th September, 2008
Nature Walk
One of my goals for this school year was to schedule nature observation/study once a week. It’s a lofty goal, I know, and I realize it likely won’t happen that often, however, I’ve carved the time out every Friday (along with tea time! :)), and if we don’t get outdoors, we’ll try to at least do a bit of nature journaling or read about God’s creation from books like the Christian Liberty Press Nature Readers and Parables trom Nature by Mrs. Alfred Gatty.
It was a beautiful day for a nature walk! We took advantage of the cooler weather and drove a few miles down the road to one of our town’s many nature preserves. I’m really looking forward to us discovering them with new eyes this year.
Enjoying the walk.
I think these are what Jeff calls “oak bombs”.
Running into the dried up creek bed. Ian found (and TOUCHED!! *gasp, freak, thank the Lord for Wet Wipes!!!*) a dead mouse.
We had a nice discussion about not touching dead animals.
Observing small white flowers that looked a bit like miniature morning glories.
Look Mommy, I found a whole acorn!
Another oak bomb. I guess I should be a good Charlotte Mason teacher and encourage my children to find out it’s Latin name.
The ducks saw us coming…
And came within feet of us begging for food.
Next time we’ll bring bread. Or candy.
Hannah found a small pond of water and loved putting her feet in. Emma followed everything Hannah did.
I discovered today that my Hannah is a nature girl at heart. She adores being outside and doesn’t mind the scratchy reeds, dirt, or bugs. She didn’t get that from me!
When we left, Ian said, “Go sploring more, Mommy”.
“Next week, honey.”
He’ll be asking me daily until then.
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12th September, 2008
A new school year!
Hannah, age 10
Grade 5
Emma, age 7
Grade 2
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11th September, 2008
Look what I did, Mommy!
Ian had a good first day of pre Preschool (otherwise known as Distraction Time).
Hannah helped him “mirror” the train below. They also made an elephant and giraffe.
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8th September, 2008
Sly sudser.
“Ian, what are you doing?” Jeff calls from the family room.
“I’m not washing my hands!” he replies from the bathroom.
This from the son who is known for his covert sink sudsing operations….
Jeff, getting up from the chair to investigate, runs into a chipper Ian in the hallway.
“Hi Daddy, how are yoooou?” Ian says in his best syrupy sweet, change-the-subject-by-deflecting-attention-from-himself voice.
I cannot help but giggle….
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5th September, 2008
Just like old times.
Last week we went to Gold Rush Days in what’s affectionately called “Old Town” amidst a booming metropolis of 2 skyscrapers, 9 buildings, lots of old Victorian homes and 700 million cows. The town goes “historical” on everyone by transporting itself back to the mid 1800’s when gold, gambling, and guns were all the rage. Since we dabbled in state history this summer, we thought it only fitting to attend the amazingly well done event and even drug our poor, innocent friends along for the fun.
They’ll never be the same.
Here we encountered a very happy family who entertained passerby with the banjo, penny whistle, and tambourine.
Oh, and spoons for the crowd.
I think Ian was checking to see if little Emma G. (in the stroller) was keeping time correctly.
Here the town goes all out with the horses, covered wagon and cowgirls wearing….Levi’s?
The little niners getting ready to watch the shoot out show, which turned out to be a bunch of “drunk”old cowboys yelling at each other and occasionally shooting off blanks. The”show” began with a 5 minute long “disclaimer” in which one of the cowboys lectured the kids in the audience about how bad it is to bring guns (play or otherwise) to school.
Ah the joys of living in the 21st century.
A donkey!
Panning for gold.
The “gold” they found.
The “bank” was strategically located about 15 feet from the panning area. There they “cashed in” their loot and received a nice certificate which was akin to an e-ticket to other area activities such as….
Gambling.
Oh boy.
30 minutes later….
“Um, kids? I think it’s time to go. That poor girl on the left has been waiting her turn to play for the last 10 minutes….”
Oh this was really neat. This is the pharmacy. Back in 1852, pharmacists routinely set chemicals on fire just because it was fun!
The food area where you can enjoy a free sample of dutch oven cooked biscuit particles.
“Hello Train Conductor Man! We’re all wondering why you look as though you’re hitching a ride on the very front of the train, but we won’t ask because frankly, it scares us a little.”
We let our kids frolick on the train tracks. We feel it builds character.
We also give our kids candy. Wanna make somethin’ of it?
Look at the moral support Ashley G. is giving Kaitlyn G.. What a team.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Wash Bin Lady focuses her efforts on making sure Jimmy G. is laundering properly.
You can just see Emma thinking, “I sure hope I don’t break a nail doing this.”
If homeschoolers went to school…..
Jimmy would be getting about 5 lashes about now.
Ian would be getting 10.
OOOHHH. A swamp cooler. Mrs. G. and I hung out in front of that for about a half an hour while our poor hubbies sweated it out in the back of the room.
Because we’re smart. Ha!
Man, I hit the jackpot with the whole “hands on activity” part of our state history this year.
Fun on the schoolhouse swing!
We had such a fun time! I missed some great photo opportunities though! Like the one where Ian broke loose in a crowd to run up and down the handicap ramp, yelling “BEEP! BEEP!” to those who got in his way, and the time Mr. G. narrowly escaped a horse trampling.
Ah well, maybe next time.
Posted at 11:05 am | Comments (5)
