Things Said...

Me:  "That's a Ford symbol, I think."
Jonny:  "No, it's Chevy.  I watch football.  I know."
Emilia:  "Chevy runs deep."


Matthew (wanting to get up from a time out): "Mom! I'll be as good as a mouse if I can get up!"
Me: "We kill mice."
(much laughter and squeaking ensues...)


Jonny (at dinner):  "Please pass the gluten."


Emilia:  "Mom, you'd better make the right decision because I'm watching you and learning from you.  If you make the wrong decision, I may grow up and make wrong decisions too."  (Talk about pressure, SHEESH!)


Tommy (2) said in a robot sort of voice:  "I a wo-bot."


I prepped my children before they entered the antique store: "Under NO circumstances are you to be touching anything." Jonny replies: "What if my arm ACCIDENTALLY flings out (insert enthusiastic fling of his arm) and touches something?"  After some laughter..."There will be NO accidental flinging of arms."


Emilia has classical music on.  She's a butterfly and is trying to convince Matthew to be a moth.  He does not want to be a moth.  "You could be a bee," I say, "bees sting."  Thinking this will be better than a boring moth.  He's grumpy.  "I don't want to be a bee.  I want to be a bug that kills things."  Well...okay then.


Just read in my journal yesterday:  Back in 2011 I wrote down three funny things the kids said (in a row) when I was putting them to bed one evening:


I'm climbing up the bunk bed ladder when Matthew, with a big smile showing he's very proud of his thoughtfulness says, "Mom, I moved WAY over and made this enormous space for you because you are enormous!"


Jonny likes me to tell him stories about when I got hurt.  I was telling him about how I was doing back handsprings in gymnastics when I was in high school.  As I was doing them, I broke my arm.  Then I had to have surgery.  The dr. put a plate and six screws on my bone to keep it straight.  I lift up my sleeve to show him my scar.  He's quietly serious as he says, "Does dad know about this?"  "Yes," I answer.  His face shows how horrified he is by the whole thing when he asks, "Did you tell him at the wedding?"  Pretty sure he thought Nate wouldn't have married me had he known!


And finally, I make my way to Emilia's room.  As we're talking, the discussion of different languages comes up.  "Do you want to learn Spanish?"  "No," she replies.  I mention, "I think it would be a good idea."  "Why? Because of the slavery?" ...........................I have no idea.


Ahhh...our kids provide so much laughter!

  

 


 

Cravings

Nine weeks into this pregnancy and I'm craving lots of avocados and marinated artichoke hearts.

That pretty much sums it up.

Weeelllll...

Unless you count the craving for hash browns from McDonald's.

And fried potatoes after dinner one night, of which I made, ate a large helping, and promptly felt ill.

Or, I suppose, if you count my desire for fizzy drinks, Cranberry Sierra Mist and Coke being particular favorites.

Or the garlic infused olives and Greek salads.

Oh yeah, and pizza.  

Anyway, if I keep eating throughout the day, I'm less likely to feel weak or sick (although it's not always a full-proof method).

So, eat I do.  A lot. 

Pass the salt, garlic, and oils. 

I've got a post up today on the Hip Homeschool Moms site called, Homeschooling Even When You Don't Feel Like It.  Honestly, I keep having pep talks with myself (and Nate) to continue homeschooling right now because I feel sick most of the time.  Not much of anything is getting done.  This too shall pass, but in the meantime I'm very thankful that the kids go to school on Wednesdays and for my friends and moms who've been helping me out.  I am blessed.
    

Grocery Store Ponderings

I've got a post up today over at Heart of the Matter Online if you care to take a look. 

Off to make something to eat.  These cravings...

Update on "Feeling"

Still feeling sick.  Tired.  Weak.

I have no really cool, sick looking picture to post as in the post before this one.

And I'm still thankful, but I'm mostly just feeling ill, which is why I haven't been on here much lately.

I'm sure I'll be back to posting more regularly someday...give me a month or so.

Until then (but hopefully sooner),

Feeling

Very tired.  Sick.  Weak...

But most of all...

Thankful to the Lord for this new little one growing inside of me! 

Most likely due at the end of July.  :)

 

Sickness and a Thanksgiving Party

We've been sick over here.  Well, not Nate or me (I'm coughing like a maniac, but that's beside the point because I feel fine), but the kids (see them lying all around the living room?).  Tommy got it first and then the older boys and finally Emilia.  Thankfully Tommy was completely over it (after one whole week of sickness) when the other three got it.  They are on days 4 and 5 of a (possibly) one week sickness.   Long lasting fevers, hacking coughs, snotty noses, sore throats, and overall weakness.

I've got my command center going on.  It's been pretty handy. 

It's been an interesting, but (actually) fun couple of weeks since we really can't go anywhere or have anyone over.  As soon as the Ibuprofen kicks into their system, we have a good 5 hours or so of time to do a lot of reading and learning and playing of games.  Emilia asks, "How much time do I have until I start feeling sick again?  Better take a shower/do some math/play this game before the medicine wears off."  (We've watched a lot of Netflix and movies as well, but that's mostly after the Ibuprofen stops working and nothing else sounds fun...or when I have no other ideas.)

Jonny was pretty bummed today because he wasn't going to be able to go to his Thanksgiving party for Wednesday school.  I had volunteered to run the games and the craft, so I passed on the information to his teacher and decided we needed to have our own little party at home.

We made a craft that my sister-in-law found on Pinterest.  Thanks Juliet!  :) 

Look at those smiles!  You'd never know anyone was sick.  Ibuprofen, I tell you.  How did moms ever live without it?  ;)

 
We also played two games that you can read about here and here.  Then we skipped ahead a couple lessons in The Mystery of History so we could read about the Pilgrims and then about Squanto.  

Although it's no fun to be sick (and this has proven to be one nasty virus), we've had some good family time.  Here are some precious cards the boys wrote to each other.  Matthew (yellow paper) obviously asked for some spelling help, but it was their own idea to send each other "get well" cards.  Sweet brothers.

Hoping your family is well...or gets well soon!

Hey, this is my 200th post!  I should celebrate.  ;)

Linked up to The Unlikely Homeschool's Weekly Kids' Co-op and the Hip Homeschool Hop

Boys and Girls

Sometimes, while the boys are...

The house is nice and quiet, which means the girls are...

Secrets, Reading, and Fire

Happy Fall, everyone!  Doesn't a house full of candles smell so good and look so pretty?  Ahhh... 

Today, I'm over at Shannon's blog, Tiny Paragraphs, where I share a little secret that allows me to have more time and patience...  :)

I also have another post up today at Heart of the Matter with some tips that I've used to help my children learn how to read.  In that post, I've included a silly little story I wrote about a pink pig and a princess.  You can read it with your children if you want.  This story is in need of some pictures, so if your child is artistically inclined, maybe they could draw some pictures to go with it?  I'd love to see them if you'd like to share!

I hope you enjoyed your day today.  We did!

We started the day off on at field trip at the fire station with our homeschool group.  I volunteered to try on the fire fighter's coat, but was tricked into trying on the whole gear.  That is one heavy outfit!  You have to be in pretty good shape to be a firefighter.  I, clearly, am not.  My back is twinging a bit from that burdensome, but life saving, oxygen tank.  Thank you to all the firefighters out there!  I appreciate the work you do!

Thanks, Mandi, for the pic!

Then we came home and got in a full day of school.  That always feels good. 

A little color-coordinated paper plate clock that I made for Jonny as he learns how to tell time the "old fashioned" way.

For dinner we made a fire and roasted hotdogs rolled in croissants.  We also ate cheese curls, marshmallows, and candy.  Super healthy.  The kids thought it was the best idea ever.

This evening our family played a rousing game of Rummikub (I do so like that game) and then watched about 20 minutes of something on Netflix about wild cats.  It was very interesting.  I plan on watching more of the 3+ hour movie (!!!) with the kids in the future.  We'll call it "school".

I hope your day was happily filled with accomplishments, big or small, and...candles.  :)

Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

September - October 2012: Long Picture Post

AYSO Soccer - His first year

Nate (former soccer player - trying not to yell instructions from the sidelines - I may have had to remind him not to be one of "those" parents ;)) and Nate's dad

"Coach" and his son

Sweet snuggling kids (love Tommy's face!  Such a goofy kid!)

I was so happy when she told me she wanted to make dinner after reading her Dr. Seuss cookbook.  She made a wonderful "Zans Sans Chili" - much better than the something I really hadn't thought of yet!

Visiting a pretty cool park on our vacation while Nate was at his work conference.

Sleepy boy in hotel bed

The super fun (and unexpected) news that my article was published in the most recent issue of the Home Educating Family Magazine!  My first published piece!

The Summit at Shanty Creek in Bellaire, MI

Our fun little trip up north.  It was in this area that Jonny almost got attacked by a tiny squirrel who was obviously not afraid of people!  We've laughed and laughed about the "Crazy Rabid Squirrel".  Thankfully, the squirrel didn't bite him.

Visiting the new Target in our area.  JUST like a field trip.  ;)

My kids can't be the only ones who like to pretend they are part of the Old Navy family, right?

Field trip to Charlton Park with our New Homeschool Group

Our family ritual - walking to the nearby church to ride scooters and bikes.

BRAVE hair.  Haven't seen the movie, but E's hair in this picture reminds me of that cartoon!

Racing

And just so you know that I am fun...I race too.  Only occasionally, as I'm not a runner at all.

Jonny almost won.  Good grief.  He's only 6.  I'm outta shape.

Mystery of History Timeline.

Jonny's face is cracking me up!  And, Tommy has no pants on.  Who needs 'em.  ;)

Emilia made a little clay artist.

Jonny's bird.

Snack time on the front porch

My cute new tea set up.  Got this lovely idea while watching a friend's kids at her mother-in-law's house.  Thanks Deb!  :)

Tea parties.  A regular occurrence in our house, even with these crazy boys.  ;)

Way to go Matthew!

Tommy finally enjoys swinging "higher"!

Crazy people who go go soccer games to cheer on their brother in the freezing cold.

My parents and niece who also came to cheer Jonny on.

Pannukakku!!!  (A breakfast regular - probably once a week)

Our stunning woods before the leaves completely fell.

One of the last of our garden's flowers (I say "garden" very loosely as I am not a gardener).

I was overwhelmed by the beauty of God's creation on this day...stunning!

Another cooking adventure.  I could get used to this!  This meatball soup was wonderful!!!

Cuteness.

More cuteness

(Picture credit:  My sweet 4 year old)

Happy Fall!

Linked up to the Hip Homeschool Hop