Wow!  It's been a while....
Three active children have kept me from doing much blogging!

Corinne had her 6th birthday in February.  She had a cupcake decorating party and had several of her friends over to decorate cupcakes and watch a movie.

I'm sure their mothers were thrilled to bring home sugar and food dye!! :)

 

I think Cal's cupcake box remained empty while his tummy became fully occupied!!

Corinne and her good friend Sydney.

Just a few things about Corinne at 6 years old....

*She is a wonderful artist and can draw well beyond her years.  She loves to draw little girls wearing colorful dresses.

*She has such a big heart and is always so kind to everyone except for the occasional fight with her brother.

*Is finishing up first grade and will be on to second soon!  She enjoys school most days, but would of course rather be playing outside or making a fort!

*Is wonderful at composing and is a great little musician!

*Loves the Lord and wants to share the love of Jesus with others! (yesterday she filled a bag with "newspapers" and drove her bike up and down the street throwing them onto driveways.   I had no idea what the newspapers said until my neighbor brought one over asking if Corinne had dropped some of her schoolwork.  The notes she was leaving on driveways were about loving Christ so you can go to heaven. So sweet.)

We thank God every day for this beautiful daughter of ours!!

Chalk pastels

Corinne had fun using her chalk pastels this afternoon. She LOVES drawing!






Tried blending with water.

Another Corinne original.  I could listen to her make up songs all day!

Just posted about the Christmas tree and realized I never even wrote a post about Calvin's birthday (back on November 19th)!  Poor third baby!!! Calvin turned two and I have no idea where the time went (so cliche but true!).

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Oh Calvin...you are so sweet and so the third child.  A goofy little guy who loves attention.  You are constantly cracking us up with your funny personality, and of course you eat it up!  Someone must have sent you a memo about the terrible twos, because you're doing very well at fitting the bill! You don't throw many tantrums, (and when you do, you're easily distracted) but you LOVE to get into trouble!  Dumping water on the floor, table...wherever...is one of your favorite activities.  Helping yourself to cleaner (really just vinegar in a bottle) so you can wash windows is another (at least you mean well!) We have many beautiful drawing on walls, bed spreads, pack n' plays.....and recently you have figured out how to empty the contents of your diaper into the toilette all by yourself! (YUCK!)

BUT- you also love to cuddle, play with your brother and sister, sing songs (3 little Monkeys, Little Red Caboose, How Much is That Doggie, Bee Bee Bumblebee), and you really are so sweet.  You're quick to say sorry if you hurt someone or make a mess, and are so gentle (most of the time). : )

You love your B and paci and I'm not quite sure how we're going to rid you of them (at least the paci anyway!) You still love to nap for several hours in the afternoon and go to bed at 7:30 and greet us at 5:30 am. (!!).  You are so easy to put down for naps and bedtime and I think we may just try to keep you in that crib until you're 3! 

It makes us sad to see our little guy growing up so fast, but we also love to see you reach new milestones! We love you so much Calvin!!

So the crazy season is coming to an end and I finally feel like I can catch up a bit!
Back a few months.....we love cutting down a fresh tree each year and tried a new tree farm out west a bit. We got a 9 ft tree for $35!  (Which is quite a steal compared to the $90 price tags on the tree lots around here!)  It must have been a bad tree year because I think we may have snagged the last good looking tree on the lot!

Halloween

I have to admit that Halloween is definitely my least favorite holiday (if you want to call it a holiday!).

I don't like spending money on costumes (thanks you Goodwill!), I cringe watching my kids eat all that junk, and it seems like a lot of people don't answer their doors anymore.

So yes- I'm a Scrooge!

Next year I think we'll go to the fall festival event at our church.

I still think the kiddos look pretty cute in their costumes though! :)

Homeschooling

Can I just say I love home schooling my kids? From the planning of lessons, to the teaching, to the sharing what we've learned with daddy. I feel so blessed to be able to stay home and teach them.

Corinne is in 1st grade and is doing so well with reading and writing. She loves to read ahead in her Bible reader and frequently reads to Caleb (which he loves).






She has piano lessons 3 times a week most weeks which is working well. She loves to compose and definitely spends more time doing that than reading music. Since she's only five she has plenty of time to perfect music reading. Here is one of her latest compositions....

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Caleb is in Kindergarten and is getting really good at writing his letters, doing addition and is starting to read (which he is REALLY excited about!)

He requires more instruction from me when working, so I don't have any pictures!




When he finishes his work, he loves to play whatever Calvin has been playing with!






We do Science and Bible together and even Cal participates! I have loved working on scripture memory with the kids because I get to memorize too!

The hardest thing about teaching Corinne and Caleb has been keeping Calvin occupied. Next year I will have more structured activities for him, but for now, lots of creative play (and messes for me to clean up)!

If anyone wants to see my house trashed, come by around noon when we're done with school!







Wednesday's we take a day off from formal instruction and head to Wacky Wednesday's, our local homeschooling co-op where the kids get to learn from another home school mom. They have made lots of new friends and so have I!

We're still tweaking and perfecting our routine, but each week seems to get easier and more fun!

Location:Lakewood Creek Dr,Montgomery,United States