Life is pretty busy around here

Our C week books

D Week

My sister Michelle and I decided to put our preschoolers in the Art Start program at the Wichita Art Museum. (well, really, it was her idea, as most of the good ones are :) She watched the biggers and the little ones while I took Annika and Liam there yesterday. The topic was masks- they saw some, read a book about some and made one. Fun time for our kids!

The fruits of their labors.

Our big four year olds. I remember when they were born!

Grammie took the kids on a walk the other day and these are all the nature things they collected, which they proudly displayed on the kitchen table.

In other news, we are currently taking a break from the Alphabet Path (we are sticking with our core stuff, just scaled back a lot) while we pack and move. It is just to a house across town, right by Joe's work, which will be really nice for him. I hope to take up the Alphabet Path again sometime mid- October, once we are all settled. The kids have really been enjoying it!

Adelle says, "Wait, what? You are moving?"

"Don't forget to take me!"

Discoveries!

We have been working this school year on being observant. Noticing things around you- the beauty of nature, creatures, weather, the feelings of others. Becoming aware little people. Taking the time to stop and admire things (I have a hard time with this!) and taking in all the details.

So it was very interesting when this little (big!) guy hopped onto our window. We stood and studied him for ten minutes, admiring everything about him.

We had the opportunity to visit some friends who have a house on some land. We got to pick apples and pears (which we made into applesauce!) and see baby chicks. The kids had a great time!

D is for doughnuts (and St. Dominic, dinosaurs and double daisies!)

Our Lady of Sorrows

9 years ago today, Joe and I consecrated ourselves to Mary on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It seemed appropriate at the time, the choice of feast day- my own mother had just died two and a half weeks prior. Although I don't spend as much time in my devotion to Mary as I used to, this post has given me occasion to reflect on the ways that her intercession has made a difference in my life over the last nine years. I mean, I will only be able to know all the ways it has changed me on the other side of eternity, but even now I can understand that she has been able to take the prayers from this mother's heart and lay them at the feet of her Son. What a wonderful gift God gave us in the Blessed Mother!

A is for Apple Pie

A couple of weeks ago, during A week, we made an Apple Pie to share with Grammie and Grandpa after dinner one night.

Take some Apples

+
Cute Kids

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A Apple Pie

We had the opportunity to go to a local park for some nature study last week.

We saw some Bull Thistle

I think we decided this was Goldenrod?

Gumweed
And our cute little learners, sketching their discoveries.

Hard not to love...

Some of my best Adelle pictures are of her sitting in the high chair. Because then she can't get away.

Look, Mom! I can get my foot in on the action too!

Hey! Just talking on the phone here!

Could you hold on a minute? I am talking on the phone!!

9 years

I remember my Dad sitting my sister and me down on her porch swing that hot, August day nine years ago and telling us that Hospice had been in to see her that day and that her time was close.

I already knew it, though. She had been mostly sleeping the three days prior and was disoriented when she was awake. The night before she was so restless. I laid in my bed hearing her on and off. But that morning, she was quiet. I remember pulling up a chair beside her bed before I left for school and telling her that I would miss her but she could go if she needed to go.

So the porch swing conversation came as no surprise.

And we went to her. The 6 grandkids came and said their good-byes and went to stay with a family friend. Our priest came to do Anointing of the Sick. My father, sisters, brothers-in-law, her twin, a family friend, me and my then-fiance/now-husband stayed with her that evening. Telling stories of her. Praying her into her next life. Her breathing slowed, slowed more and then she left.

It was, by far, the most painful and sad experience that I have had in my life, at least this far. But I tell her birth into new life story because it was also so beautiful.

Beauty and Sorrow held hands that night.`

She is gone, but not forgotten. My little Issy, upon discussing her name saints, said, "There is a Saint Issy! My grandma!" Indeed, little one.

Some birthday and some cuteness

Here are a couple of pictures from Liam's birthday. In this picture, I am holding back his head because just prior to this he had leaned dangerously close to the candles.

The look of delight on his face in this picture tickles me. It is just pure, exuberant Liam.

The boys love it when Issy reads to them.

After our wet zoo day I decided I should take the kids for a non-wet zoo day. Well, as you might be able to tell from the jackets and umbrellas, I didn't exactly meet my goal, though it wasn't to bad. It just drizzled for a little while and then tapered off and we got to enjoy a cool, cloudy time.

I know I am biased, but I think my Adelle is just the most adorable little sugar :D Issy was playing dress up with her and put her in her butterfly wings and antenna from last Halloween.

First day of school

When I was a little girl, I was always so excited about the first day of school (that changed when I was about 16 :P). I could hardly sleep the night before, awake with the anticipation of everything that lie ahead. Even though the kids aren't going to school I was hoping to give them a little piece of that excitement. We talked about everything we were planning this year, the fun, the lessons, what they would like to learn about. All in all, yesterday was a pretty good day, although it showed me what might need some tweaking. I feel like every year we do this, the more comfortable I get with it, the more enthusiastic I get and they really respond to that. Here is to a great year!

Sketching pictures of apple trees.

Morning prayer time. Isaac was trying to get Adelle to look up, she just wanted to look at the book.

Since I have been dwelling on all the things that are unsatisfactory about my life right now (not here on my blog, but in my head) I am going to say how grateful I am for this morning. There was a thunderstorm last night, which left the morning coolish, breezy, cloudy and green. The perfect morning to open up a window, sit down with my cup of coffee and breathe fresh air. My heart aches for the mountains most days, so days like this make Kansas ok. I am very, very grateful for that.

Sweet boy is four.

Liam was in bed with me when we woke up this morning. I whispered, "Happy birthday, my little Li" to him and he said, "That is TODAY?!". He threw back the covers and looked at his legs and said, "Am I bigger?!" He stood up on the bed briefly, looked at himself and decided that yes, he had grown :D

Four years with Liam. I can't say it has all been unicorns and rainbows, but it has never been dull. He is a sweet, chatty, personable, persistent, funny little boy and I am glad I am his Mommy.

August 2010

March 2008 (19 months)

Wet day at the zoo

Well, we decided to go to the zoo on Sunday to take advantage of the cooler temperatures (finally!) Rain clouds threatened, but I figured it wouldn't rain long if it did at all. It started to rain about the time we got to the zoo. We stood inside the barn for a few minutes until I convinced Joe that we couldn't just stand there all afternoon, so we might as walk around and get a little rainy if need be.

And indeed, we did get wet. This delighted the children- playing in the rain, stomping in puddles. We did the indoor exhibits but it was still raining quite hard in between the buildings.

The soggy fam

Parrot

Vampire bats!

Sling me, Mom!

One day, she got the pouch sling out of the diaper bag (this one, actually.) and brought it over to where I was. She was trying to get in it. I didn't have the heart to tell her it wouldn't work quite the same if someone wasn't wearing it ;) Luckily, this did not bother her and she was persistent and cute. I like this girl.

Those moments.

We started "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume a few days ago as our chapter book read aloud (just finished the Mouse and the Motorcycle books). Yesterday evening, I had started a chapter, we read a while and then I had to go take Adelle and put her to bed. So Issy took the book, sat on the couch and proceeded to read it. When I came back 10 minutes later, I asked her some questions about what she had read to check her reading comprehension and wow, yes, she had been reading. I know she can read- she really looked off reading-wise in January (and she reads things over my shoulder :P), last night was just one of those moments when I saw her growing up. Worlds are opening up for her. Wow. And sigh.

My baby Adelle grows, too. At nearly 14 months, she says: Dada, ow, no, nigh-night, bye-bye, cheeeeeese (for the camera- not too shocking) and my favorite- she walks around with a blanket on her head and makes oooooooooo ghosty noises (the big kids taught her that, they all do it together).

They all grow. Too fast.

Some sweet cuteness

My sweet boys spending some time together before Isaac went off camping with Daddy and Liam got to stay here with me and Adelle.

I was getting breakfast ready and Issy put Adelle on the ottoman and was dancing around her singing a song. This amused her greatly.

Getting to be a big girl!

She was saying "cheeeeeeeese". Technically not the best smile but definite points for cuteness. (And the Liam in the background makes me laugh)

Mish mash

This post is likely total random, but here goes. I'll give you bullet points for ease of moving to one disconnected thought from another.

• Summer has been good. Busy. Very hot. I am very grateful for our YMCA membership, since taking the kids swimming makes the heat bearable for all of us. I didn't miss the humidity when I lived in Idaho, but I did miss swimming. You could swim there, it just wasn't quite the "my body is going to spontaneously combust if I don't get in the water and cool off" kind of refreshment.
• I have been struggling because hiking and cross country skiing were enjoyable and it was good exercise, but I hadn't found anything like that here. But I found water aerobics. They have it outside in the summer, so a little bit of sun, water and exercise have been really good for me. Hooray! Now I just need to find a winter substitute (I could do water aerobics inside, and I might, though it isn't quite the same).
• I have making plans for our upcoming school year. Trying to organize (which is not my strong point :P) decide what I would like for them to learn, and most of all- a workable plan on how to execute it! I am pretty excited about Issy's First Holy Communion preparation and working on the Alphabet Path this year. Fun times!
• I am almost ready to send in my request for Phase 3 of AAMI, a month ahead of schedule. I was actually ready last week, but I was waiting to get some more ink for my printer so I could copy the paper before I sent it off. I am excited to dig into Phase 3! If only I had unlimited amounts of money to spend on books...
• I have been trying to cultivate a spirit of gratefulness. I'll be honest, it has been really difficult. I tend to focus on the things that I don't have- a house with some land, an unlimited budget to spend on interesting things for our homeschool. A mountain view. So I have been really trying to focus on the good things: an awesome husband that I Love, four fantastic, unique, sweet kids, a comfortable house, family and friends nearby. I am blessed.
• I have also been evaluating my time spent online. I had been thinking about it, but this post last week really hit home the point for me. I think about the times where I have been in a discussion or read something online that really bothered me. And I carried it around in real life and stewed about it. Or maybe my reply to a topic was harsher than it would have been if I had been saying it to the person's face. And honestly, for the most part, it isn't worth the time or the effort. I always attend to my children's needs, but there are times when the computer has distracted me from giving them my full attention. And they are what life is all about. They are happening now, growing up so quickly. There is likely not ever going to be a time where I look back and wish I had spent more time online and less time with my kids. I have enough on my plate with their school and my school to fill our days, so something has got to give and that something is frivolous time wasted online. I don't feel the need to give it up altogether, just scale back to the essentials. Friendships, correspondence, enrichment without wasting time.

So there you have it.

Dress up!

You may recall that Issy has a thing about dressing up her brothers. If you don't, see these posts:
Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2

Exhibit 3
So it was inevitable that this would happen:

Luckily, Adelle was a good sport about it.

The Fab Four (baby slightly bewildered)

They did a play of depicting the story of Adam and Eve. I think that my favorite part is that Liam was cast as the Serpent and his costume was a pirate dress. Awesomeness.

Sleepy Liams Say the Cutest Things.

Liam and I were snuggling in bed at about 6 this morning and we were falling back to sleep. He reached out and intertwined his fingers with mine and settled back down. I was just about to fall back asleep and I heard him whisper, "Mama."

I was quiet. "Mama," he said again.

I pretended not to hear, hoping he would not persist and I could go back to sleep.

Slightly louder this time, "Mama, I need to tell you something."

*sigh* "Yes, Liam?"

Groggily, "Exercise is good for you because it makes you healthy."

I was inwardly amused, since he was half asleep while he was saying it. I said, "You know what else makes you healthy, Liam?"

"What?" he replied.

"Sleep. Go back to sleep. Good-night, buddy."