Some Of This Past Year's Happenings

Our biggest adventure this past year was moving.  Twice.  Once into a house that we purchased as an investment property and then again three months later.  We'd like to stay awhile in this house.  Moving twice in three months isn't something I necessarily recommend.  

Our old house - we lived here for almost 8 years

Lots of special memories are connected with this house

We made some fun memories in our "three month" house with each other and with friends.

Yes, that's exactly what it looks like.  Feeding the baby whipped cream.  Gerrit's Best Day Ever.

Sweet girl!  Not quite 3 yet.

 And we started school in our new house!

First day of homeschool 2016

Out of Chaos....A Necessity

Order

I used to think that these kinds of schedules were awesome...for someone else.

I have tried numerous "schedules" and "routines" over the years, but nothing clicked.

Until...

 

This Baby.

My, oh my, is he a cutie!

And, it was because of him (and his five siblings) that I felt the need to be a tad bit more organized.

Enter...

This guy.

My, oh my, is he a babe!

He's really good with schedules and organization too.

He called to check in on how things were going the first day of our homeschool.

 

Chaotic.  

 

That about summed it up.

 

 He told me to stop schooling for the day and wait until he got home that night to come up with a plan.

Gladly.

That evening we made up the "Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday Schedule."  (He had already helped me come up with the cleaning/chore schedules previously.)

 

I can't say that I was super excited about the color coordinated schedule while we were making it up.  In fact, I had a headache, I was grumpy, and I just wanted to get in bed.  I may have even told him how it probably wouldn't work because...it just wouldn't.  So there.

 

BUT 

The next morning I woke up with my alarm and got the day started...and we've been on schedule (mostly) ever since.  It's been a month and the kids and I are liking this schedule.  

 

Everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing, and we all know that school will be done around the same time each day.  Woo Hoo!

 

I'm not completely fanatical about the schedule.  It doesn't rule me.  For example, this morning, I woke up with (another) raging headache (typical for me while nursing) with ringing ears and dizziness, so I took a nap while our oldest babysat the little ones and the boys watched shows.  Some days you have to do what you have to do to survive.  :)

Anyway, 

That's what we've been up to.

That, and...

This.

 

Go get 'em #35!

 

Nice tackle, Jonny!

 

Enjoying Fall,

First Day of School Pictures - 2015

Baby Gerrit

These are my students.  

They look like trouble this year.  ;)

 

 

End of Summer Picture Post

Summer 2015 is winding down.

Jonny is trying out football this year.  He's enjoying it!

Brothers!

Lost another tooth.  He's so adorable without any front teeth.  I think, when I look back at him as a child, I'll remember him like this.  Freckly and toothless with a huge grin.  :)

Diaper rash cream should never have been invented.  But since it was invented, I'm glad that Dawn Dish soap has also been invented to assist mothers of 2 year olds.

Lydia fell asleep on Daddy while on a pontoon we rented while camping.

The girls

Snuggles while camping

This little pirate girl...she's a hoot!

And our oldest.  6th grade this year!  She's growing up fast!

We are enjoying the last days of Summer, but also looking forward to starting up another homeschool year.  We will start our lessons at home on Tuesday, and Classical Conversations starts on Thursday! 

Bring it on!

Keeping Myself Busy

While I'm waiting for this darling baby to make his way into the world,

(3 days overdue, but who's counting?  ;) )

I have been planning for our 7th year of homeschooling.

Some of our curriculum

 7?!  Holy Smokes.  I have a Middle Schooler...

And a 4th grader, a 2nd grader, and a Kindergartener (he's pretty excited to be "officially" joining the ranks!)

Some of his Kindergarten curriculum

This will be our second year in Classical Conversations and I am looking forward to it.  

I feel like I finally have a grasp on how this year should go.  Last year was a learning curve, a good one, but a curve nonetheless.  It will be nice to have a "general plan" for the year.

I'm going to add lapbooking to our curriculum this year.  We've done it before with unit studies, and my kids loved it.  So, I decided to buy these lapbooks (only the first 6 weeks to start just to make sure we use them).  They look great!

 

 I've been having so much fun!

I truly enjoy the buying, prepping, planning stage of homeschooling.

Now, if only I could keep that excitement throughout the year.  ;)

Attempting to enjoy this day that the Lord has made (even if I'm not holding a baby boy at the end of it),