My Nemesis

My nemesis is: LAUNDRY! It taunts me everywhere I go...smelly as it lies on each bathroom floor, peeking out of laundry hampers, and then when it's clean, it's even worse! It sometimes takes up the ENTIRE couch (hidden behind the folded laundry above) and smells so fresh and clean, but it gets more and more wrinkly the more loads I add to the pile. And, needed items get further and further down in the pile where I can no longer find anything. And, I hate folding laundry! And, IF I finally get around to folding it, there are HUGE piles of it that take up the entire coffee table...and I yell and threaten anyone who dares to get too close and make it topple over. I even, painstakingly, pull specific items that my children need, from the piles so that they don't tumble to the ground and all my hard work is wasted. But, there are some days when I actually do put it away. And, I feel really good...until I see the large piles of dirty laundry that have already accummulated in other areas...and I have to start again!! It NEVER ends!
PS- Those clothes and linens on the coffee table are just for the kids...there isn't ONE item for me or Nick! Sad, huh?!

Blue Knee Socks

Trent LOVES to wear socks...any kind, size or color. He wears them on  his hands (like gloves) or all the way up to his hips (as seen above). These are Brad's baseball socks and he picked them out to wear one morning and then picked out some dressy shoes. No pants or shirt needed! He loves trying on the MANY pairs of shoes in the boys' closet...even if they're 5 sizes too big. This boy is not afraid to start a new fashion trend. However, we won't let this trend leave the house! :)

Recorder Karate

Here is Rachel with her beautiful purple recorder, practicing her first challenging piece: Hot Crossbuns. As soon as she feels confident enough, she can play it in front of her music teacher and her peers. If it is perfect,  she'll receive her first bead (which represents earning her yellow belt). She is very excited and wants to go for her yellow belt this week. She has been practicing very diligently. Go Rach!

Here's the song that I have the privilege of hearing so often:

"Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns

One-a-penny

two-a-penny

Hot Cross Buns"

First Day of Learning Grove

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The much anticipated first day of Learning Grove was the day after Labor Day. Both Rach and Brad had been looking forward to this fun and exciting learning opportunity for a long time! We're so thankful to be part of such a sweet group of homeschoolers! Rach was thrilled because, as a 3rd grader, she now gets to participate in Recorder Karate. This is a genius idea to get the kids excited and motivated to practice and master playing their recorders. Rachel LOVES playing her recorder! (We've been hearing ALOT of  Hot Cross Buns!!!)  :) Brad was excited because he now gets to change classes from Science to Creative Writing to Music and then Art, like the big kids. He's still with his 1st grade classmates, but they aren't in a self-contained classroom like they were in Kindergarten. Brad comes home with lots of exciting things he likes about school. His favorite class is Art! And, he has turned into quite the artist! He wants to color, draw, design, create picture books (about Star Wars, of course!) or paint at least a hundred times a day. Both Rach and Brad also want to "teach" their siblings different crafts that they learned in Art. So, we've had a few teaching lessons where they are the teacher and I and the remaining siblings have to do the art project. It's been fun and they definitely enjoy being the one in charge! Trent and I enjoy a little one-on-one while we run errands, visit the library and do fun things that he enjoys.

1st Day of Homeschool

Our first day of homeschool was August 27th and we are off to a wonderful start. Rachel is in the 3rd grade, Bradley is in 1st grade and Trent is a preschooler. Many more details about how and why we homeschool  coming soon!! :)

Down in the dumps

I don't know what it is, but my kids are going to have an ugly fight EVERY SINGLE TIME I sit down on the potty to go #2. It never fails. Even IF I set them up with an awesome tv show, a snack, 3 designated comfy seats for each child and the perfect temperature and ambience. Today I was trying to have a little peace and quiet and not more than 1 minute after I entered the bathroom, I heard Rachel singing a song and Trent yelling at her to stop. Then Rachel KEPT on singing and Trent KEPT on yelling. (Bradley was playing his DS, so he was out of this one.)Then Trent started hitting Rachel so she gave him a swift quick and he was down...crying, hysterically, in pain. Then he comes into the bathroom with tears streaming down his face and I cannot even muster up ANY sympathy or kind words. Instead, I yell at the top of my lungs (so loudly that it hurts my throat) and bang my fist on the wall and tell him to GO SIT ON HIS BED! And, I tell Rachel to GET IN HERE NOW!!!! She comes in and then I tell her to GO TO HER ROOM!!!! Then, with Trent's cries coming through on the monitor and Rachel still yelling at him to be quiet, I try to finish my business and then go tend to the 2 children who made that task so unpleasant. THAT is why sometimes I am "down in the dumps". :)

Vacation in O-town

the gorgeous and HUGE house we had the privilege of staying in

the beautiful pool, jacuzzi and lovely lake-scene

Lego Land!!!

Putt Putt at Pirate's Cove

3 little pirate

Downtown Disney

We had a wonderful and relaxing family vacation in Orlando this summer! We are so thankful that we were able to stay at a beautiful house and enjoy all (and more) of the amenities of home. Highlights included: swimming in the gorgeous pool, using (swimming in) the bubbly-cool jacuzzi, eating out almost every meal, walking around Downtown Disney, picking out (lego/disney-over priced) souvenirs, seeing Jake and the Never Land Pirates in concert and playing (the fastest ever!) putt putt at Pirate's Cove. All around, this was just an awesome vacation! The kids are at a fun age and do better everywhere...from the car ride to whatever outing we choose to do. We had a blast reconnecting and feeling rejuvenated as a family. And, we are so thankful and appreciative that Nick's boss so generously made this vacation possible.

-Till Next Summer!