Peeking In On Our Family

Cuteness

2011-11-21T19:04:00.005-06:00

Nothing really to say about this photo. I just think it is cute.

Potato Farm Field Trip

2011-11-18T17:05:00.003-06:00

We took a field trip to a local (as in a few miles from our house) potato farm today. Our kids are no strangers to planting, growing and harvesting potatoes but this trip gave them a little more perspective into what it takes to get those bags of potatoes into the local grocery stores. We did a short walk through the warehouse and got to see the process in which the potatoes are washed, sorted, boxed up, and ready to ship.

Isn't that a whole lot of spuds? In case you didn't know, Big Lake's version of a local fair and parade each summer is called the Spud Fest.

This pile of taters goes back another 120 feet. Smelled so great and earthy.

The kids got to have some of the rejected potatoes. Glory and Ellie each got a big heart. Glory's friend had a cute little butterfly. A little boy in our group had a potato in the shape of a ducky. It was promptly turned into a gun to shoot at his sister's butterfly in 3 minutes or less.

2011-10-10T18:05:00.014-05:00

I just recently realized that I neglected to post pictures from our first day of school. Actually, come to think of it, I didn't take any pictures! And here we are, well into October. Oh well. Life goes on.

I did, however, snap some shots of a great little family outing that we took with my sister and her family. Yesterday we went to Fairhaven Farms in Fairhaven, MN. It feels like our lives have been consumed with homeschooling, piano lessons, soccer, preparing for winter, and the like since mid-August. We played hooky from church and headed out to go through a 4 acre corn maze, look at gardens and chickens, buy things in the little store, and have a wagon ride. (not a hayride, a wagon ride...my allergies were happy) On our way home we even went out to eat. It was a lovely day!!

Summer Memories 2011

2011-08-01T07:41:00.000-05:00

It is already the last day of July. I can hardly believe it. Our summer has been jam-packed with lots of "scheduled" down-time. We have been swimming, hanging out with friends and family, hosting picnics and parties and get-togethers. We had our annual 4th of July weekend with Aaron's brother and his family. We have been on the road for travel soccer and eaten untold numbers of McDonalds ice cream treats. We have gone to the movies and have been watching the Anne of Green Gables series. We have been gardening, landscaping and improving our yard. The kids have been taking turns going camping with my parents.

It has been...lovely.

But homeschool is never far from my mind and we will be beginning again before you know it.

Unless...

I take the year off!

Rhubarb Shade

2011-05-18T08:02:00.003-05:00

We have been planting the garden and harvesting rhubarb. It always amazes me that the kids have no problem chowing down a couple pieces of the sour stuff. And no sour face!

The kids love getting involved in helping with the yard. (The two big ones are starting to resist, but I recall resisting a LOT of what my parents wanted me to do when I was 13 1/2). Evidently, from these pictures, it is very important to provide shade for Daddy while helping with the rhubarb.

The Little Things

2011-05-06T09:37:00.003-05:00

I have been just barely keeping up with the necessities of life around here the last couple of months. Between field trips, homeschooling, swimming lessons, piano lessons, Awana, youth group, church, soccer, switching winter clothes out, standardized testing, spring birthdays, and Carlie and Caleb being in a musical...well, I have hardly had the time to sit down! I am looking forward to some unscheduled time around home!

Despite the craziness, I have been finding myself more and more able to enter into God's rest and not be stressed out or overwhelmed. He truly is sufficient! And He brings joy to my heart through the little things in life.

First tooth lost

(Even though Glory is our 5th child to lose a first tooth, it never gets old!)

Crazy girl makes me smile :)

Blink!

2011-02-22T13:12:00.006-06:00

Our homeschool family loves to play games. We play all sorts of games. Some of them are part of our school routine and others are just for the plain fun of it. We tend to play a couple of different games for a couple of weeks and then move on to something new or forgotten. (We have been playing Mancala lately. Remember that game? I think Aaron and I got it the year we got married!)

One game the kids love right now is Blink. They actually have been playing it regularly since Christmas, when Glory received it as a gift. It is a card game from the makers of Uno that claims to be the "world's fastest game". It is actually a really quick game so everybody gets a turn. The idea is to try to be the first to get rid of your pile of cards by matching the shape, amount of objects on a card, or the color. Lots of options for having a card that plays. The direction indicate ages 7+, but 5 year old Glory has had no trouble with it.

My girls like to make up new ways to play. So it is a fun game with other options.

What homeschooling mom doesn't appreciate open-ended activities?

Even if you don't homeschool, it is a fun and quick game that the kids can play while you are cooking supper, giving baby a bath, etc.

This is what the girls did today while I cleaned up the mess from lunch.

Perfectly entertaining and not at all difficult to set up or put away.

Around the Bend

2011-02-10T18:22:00.003-06:00

-18 degrees Fahrenheit. That is what I saw on our thermometer when I got up on this sunny, yet frigid February morning. The weatherman posted the possible upcoming temps. 20's. 30's. The possibility and hope of 40's brings joy to my heart.

I don't usually mind winter a whole lot. We are mostly homebodies around here so I often don't even notice the temperature. This year, however, seems like it began early and has been especially loaded with snow, bitter cold, and illness.

So the promise of 30's and up for a stretch thrills me to the core.

Around the bend I can see rhubarb poking its head through the new grass. The flowers will be begging to be cut and put into canning jars on the middle of the table.

I can't wait.

Dry Erase Boards

2011-02-09T07:57:00.003-06:00

Dry erase boards are one of my favorite homeschool helps. We have them in varying sizes with lots of choices of color in markers. We use them for all sorts of school-related things. I use a medium sized board when teaching Carlie and Caleb grammar. The kids (especially the youngers) love to use boards for spelling practice and tests. It seems to take a lot less effort to write on a dry erase board than on paper all of the time.

Glory just loves to copy words onto her board.

Bad Hair Day...I Mean, Crazy Hair Night

2011-02-01T08:33:00.004-06:00

The girls look forward to Crazy Hair Night at Awana's all year long. This is the first year that Glory was old enough to be part of it. Somehow, her hair ended up being more cute that crazy, but she was still thrilled.

I think Glory was a little excited!

Maggie had 13 ponies in her hair, all the same size.

The child truly has a mop of hair.

Carlie did Ellie's hair. Isn't that what big sisters are for?

Lockers

2011-01-30T19:58:00.007-06:00

My laptop crashed just after Christmas. As a result I lost the "before" pictures of this project that Aaron worked on over his Christmas break. (Also lost about 2 months of pictures and videos...mostly holiday and fun outing pictures. Bummer.)

These are our new and handmade garage lockers. Such a better solution to storing all of the winter gear and shoes than our previous shelf system. The kids love having their own space. This has made it so easy to get in and out of the door.

The bonus is that they were built to withstand kids sitting on their shelf to put on shoes or standing on the shelf to reach up high!

A Monday Moment

2010-12-13T16:03:00.003-06:00

It is scarcely 3 degrees outside today.

Lots of snow.

Chili in the Dutch-oven.

Italian-herb bread, compliments of my friend, Zojirushi.

Christmas Tree Hunting 2010

2010-12-08T08:21:00.003-06:00

All of the kids were happy with the choice of our Christmas tree this year.

There was no crying or fighting.

I think they are growing up!

Keeping it Real

2010-12-01T09:14:00.006-06:00

This is my attempt at "keeping it real" like some of you other blogger friends out there.

Yes, I tend to be hyper-organized, but it is an impossibility to have a perfectly clean household when I am at home ALL DAY with my 6 little homeschoolers EVERY DAY.

Sometimes life gets in the way of chores.

This is my laundry room this morning.

Today is Wednesday and I have not done any laundry since Saturday.

That is only THREE full days of not doing any laundry. Wait! I did do a load of towels and a load of fancy dresses in between! *sigh*

I guess it is a good thing that I kinda like doing laundry!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T18:48:00.003-06:00

A serious artist wears a helmet with a light when making Thanksgiving cards.

Translation:

Grown-up Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, I love it

Cranberry pie.

On His Mind

2010-11-01T20:55:00.003-05:00

Micah has been asking some interesting questions lately. These were his thoughts immediately upon waking this morning:

"Mom, what is in blood?"

"What is usually under a house?"

"Then what is on the roof?"

And So They Grow...

2010-10-14T09:14:00.002-05:00

New reading glasses on our resident kindergarten girl!

There is a teen among us.

A freshly minted 13 year old.

Complete with smile and make-up.

(You know they are growing up when they pick out their own birthday dessert and make it themselves.)

Football, football and more football.

Caleb played on one of the 6th grade varsity teams this year and loved it.

He is already asking about next year.

A New Era

2010-09-27T07:45:00.003-05:00

We moved Micah from his crib (in our closet) to his big boy bed in Glory's room.

It is officially a new era around here. Gone are the days of babies in cradles in our room. No more little kiddos staking claim to our master bedroom closet as "my room".

Diapers and pacifiers (known around here as "nannies") are a thing of the past.

Surely a bittersweet moment.

I love seeing the kids grow up and watching them change into the people God created them to be. What mother doesn't gleam with pride and joy when her little one successfully navigates yet another milestone?

Still, the days of being a mom of littles are fleeting. Time is flying by and I have yet to find a way to slow it down.

So to this truth I cling.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

2010 School Pictures

2010-09-16T20:25:00.006-05:00

We began our homeschooling year by starting partial days of school in August. We did that for two reasons. The first was that the kids were getting tired of the summer routine and were ready to begin something. I wasn't. The second reason is that I was trying to build some extra time off into our regular school year so that we would be able to take our vacation and have some extra days off without having to make-up missed lessons.

I love taking the pictures of them their first "official" day back to school. (Let's face it; homeschoolers are always in school). This year I also did some extra shots of them so that they would be able to have some cute pictures to share with their friends.

It is so much fun to be able to look back and see how much they change from one year to the next!

So Many Posts, So Little Time

2010-09-13T19:42:00.002-05:00

As I type this I have not yet finished unpacking from our 3,000+ mile vacation through the Black Hills and Yellowstone. Since my last post, the summer quickly came to an end. We started partial days of school in August in preparation for our 9 day/8 night trip. This week the full fall schedule of homeschooling, football for Caleb, piano lessons for Carlie, AWANAs, and lots of other things begin!

I am excited to get back into a regular-ish routine. Then maybe I can keep up a bit better on regular posts...or maybe not.

Check back for school pictures and vacation shots!

North Shore (Part 3)

2010-07-30T19:26:00.004-05:00

The last two state parks that we visited were so incredibly beautiful that I feel each needed its own post.

Tettegouche State Park

This park had so many amazing trails and places to explore that I wish we would have gone there first. We were kind of running out of steam by day 3. We were amazed by the way the Baptism River met up with Lake Superior. The color of the river water was similar to a strongly brewed iced tea. Lake Superior was a deep blue.

Rocks everywhere!

Six happy kids.

Baptism River

More places to climb. And Aaron didn't fall.

Somebody's booty.

I don't think there was a bad view in sight.

Aaron considered climbing this.

We all said, "NO!"

Big Announcement

2010-07-28T11:45:00.003-05:00

I would like to announce that we are officially done with diapers.

(Well... technically Micah still uses one during sleep... just in case).

This is huge. This is the first time in nearly 13 years that we haven't had a child (and often we had two) in diapers. I still can't believe it! Micah has been faithfully using the toilet, mostly without reminders or help, for about 3 weeks now.

It was worth every single Tootsie Roll he consumed.

North Shore Trip (Part 2)

2010-07-27T21:19:00.008-05:00

I didn't mention that we stayed at an Americinn in Silver Bay. While it wasn't "fancy", the pool area had a big water slide for the big kids and a little water slide for the littles. Perfect for them. Oh! They had a great breakfast for the kids, too! Make your own waffles, biscuits and gravy and all of the usuals. What more could they need?

Two Harbors, MN

Lots of things to look at and see in Two Harbors. Unfortunately, I got very few pictures. I ran out of camera battery so I asked the chick in the gift store if I could use her outlet to charge the battery. At least I got a picture of Micah with the train. He was thrilled.

There are a few tunnels that you have to drive through in this area. My kids do a little thing where they all hold their breath until we reach the end of the tunnel.

Apparently, this is how Micah holds his breath.

Split Rock Lighthouse

Split Rock Lighthouse is a fascinating and beautiful place to visit. The weather was perfect and the kids loved seeing a lighthouse, up close and personal.

View from the top.

We were not able to manage to get all six kids to stick their heads through a hole at once. Glory couldn't stay still. Caleb wouldn't stay in the picture.

And Micah. Well, he didn't quite get the idea of the shot.

North Shore Trip (Part 1)

2010-07-23T09:04:00.005-05:00

We recently took the kids on a a 3 day/2 night vacation along the North Shore. It was the first time in a loooong time that we had stayed in a hotel. In fact, we had to have two rooms, due to the size of our family. That was actually a blessing because then we had two bathrooms, two microwaves, and two fridges!

Our goal of this trip was to visit MN state parks and let the kids explore and create memories. That is exactly how it worked out. It was our first experience sans stroller and we had a blast.

Moose Lake State Park

At this park we hiked and had a picnic by the lake. Of interest, but not pictured, was their agate center. The climbing tree was a find too!

Jay Cooke State Park

This state park is absolutely beautiful. I definitely needed to cling on tight to some little hands, but it was so worth it. Aaron and a couple of the bigger kids hiked up the muddy trail to the waterfall area.

(The suspension bridge took a little getting used to. Some of us were a little uneasy on it.)

(Love this picture. But I could do without the cleavage.)

The Beach

This area doesn't have a name, but we found a quiet rock beach near our hotel. This was actually our favorite part of the entire trip and we returned a few times. The kids love throwing rocks into Superior, climbing, and playing in the little pools of water.

)Kids are loveloveloving the rock beach here. See the big climbing rock in the background? My husband decided to climb it. And then he lost his footing and fell...almost from the top. We all watched in horror. Thankfully, he only strained his ham string. )

Palisade Head

This rock formation was definitely worth a stop. We weren't there very long...dangerous with the kids. The pictures cannot do justice to the bright blue water and amazing view.

(Don't drop the baby!)

Sometimes a Little Crack is Fine

2010-07-08T14:48:00.002-05:00

3 year old boys that no longer wear a swim diaper have the cutest little bums.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2010-06-25T09:13:00.005-05:00

The four middle children attended VBS last week. A great time was had by all of them and they got in some much needed social interaction. (Not to mention the spiritual food!)

At the end of the week, the leaders held a drawing for each grade level. The prize was a

souped-up, jungle-themed box that they had used for offering.

Ellie won the box for the 2nd grade group. Those of you who know Ellie know that she is the kid that always feels life is a little unfair, gets the short end of the stick, etc. She is the child that buys something and then wishes she would have bought the other item. You know the type.

Ellie also cherishes trinkets and keepsakes and "junk" more than any other member of the family.

She was thrilled to win.

And now she has a fancy box to store her treasures in!!

Summer Pics

2010-06-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

Popsicle stains and getting the pool up and running. This was May. Now if only it would stop raining and warm up a bit!

June's Accomplishments

2010-06-16T10:05:00.004-05:00

We have been out of school for over 3 weeks now. Every year I look forward to having lots of extra time during the summer to accomplish things I am not able to do while homeschooling.

So what have I done so far?

Nothing.

The days have been flying by in a haze of rain, sun, swimming, sandbox time, playing with friends, reading books, and just hanging around. At least, that is what the kids have been doing.

I think I will go make a list of things to try to accomplish before June is over with!!

*By saying I have done nothing, I should point out that I am always doing something. Just not anything "extra". The laundry hasn't been piling up and we are still eating. :)

Birthday Wishes

2010-05-28T12:26:00.001-05:00

Happy 11th Birthday to Caleb!

My, how time flies.

(Birthday card by Maggie, age 6.)

Humming Alpacas

2010-05-23T20:58:00.002-05:00

We recently took a mini-field trip to an alpaca farm. Prior to going, we spent some time researching and learning about the animals. One of the things we learned is that they make a humming sound. I couldn't quite catch it on video (Micah would not stop talking), but they really do hum. As we were listening to the teaching portion of the field trip, they stood behind us and hummed.

Strange. And a little annoying.

I have a twelve-year-old that constantly hums. Drives me nuts. I wonder if she even noticed that the alpacas were humming?

The Finish Line

2010-05-17T09:09:00.004-05:00

(Rainy day school train)

It is in sight. The end-of-the-official-homeschool-year-finish-line. As much as I love homeschooling, I love finishing for the summer just as much. I know a lot of moms that "school year 'round". I am not one of those moms. I need my time to just be the mom and not be tied down to a schedule. It is refreshing for me and the kids!

That is not to say that the kids don't learn over the summer. I am certain that most days will include obscene amounts of coloring and reading. They (especially Glory) never tire of cutting, taping, stapling and gluing. We also throw in occasional math drills and keyboarding practice to keep things fresh. (Helps to avoid the lengthy review process when the fall school year begins again.)

Most of the subjects are done for the year already. Just have a little of this-and-that to complete. So, if I can just...hold...on...for...a...few...more...days. Then I can start getting ready for the next school year!

I'm Baaack!

2010-04-28T07:39:00.010-05:00

The past couple of months have flown by and been so full that I just simply didn't have time to blog. I thought about blogging and planned things in my head. And then I promptly dropped into bed and fell asleep.

The thing is, I missed blogging. I cannot believe what a wonderful tool this has been to record the daily happenings of our household!

Here is a sampling of what has been shaking around here:

*After hubby fixed my washing machine, it died again. A dramatic and sad death. The same day that our shiny new stainless steel fridge was delivered. On that same day my laptop monitor died and I had to be without it for some time while it was being repaired. So now I have a new, beautiful set. Ahh. I liked doing laundry before, but I never knew how much I would love to have steam!

*Our well pump broke...had that replaced.

*Lots and lots and lots and lots of homeschooling.

*I started doing daycare for my niece, Anika. She was here most weekdays in April and now I will have her part-time. (Love having a baby around...now I know what it would have been like if we would have had 7 kids!)

I might be doing some "catch-up" posts, but until then, here are a few pics! (If anyone is still reading this blog, that is.)

Our microscope

Micah's 3rd birthday

Spring sprang. Let the lunches on the deck commence.

Easter 2010. In each picture of Glory, I realized that she only had one leg showing. So we took this shot for fun.

We had a SURPRISE 55th birthday party for my mom.

Took a trip to Duluth to visit Aaron's grandma and his brother's family.

Mini birthday party in Duluth. Logan and Glory are both 5 now, bdays two days apart.

Anika

Glory's 5th birthday cupcakes. Does anyone else love ganache??

Just in Time

2010-02-17T09:16:00.006-06:00

My washing machine broke down. I nearly cried.

My three boys were able to fix it. I nearly cheered.

I was so thankful that they were able to fix it.

Before this happened.

Anybody else recognize the pale look of a puke-face?

(Ellie laying hands on Micah and praying for healing.)

Listening In

2010-02-11T20:12:00.002-06:00

Today I was teaching Ellie and Maggie some of the names for the bones in the human body. Glory must have been paying attention. She was sitting next to me on the couch and playing with the abacus. I reached over and put my hand on her knee.

Glory said, "Don't touch my patella."

Really? Did she really say that to me?

I was a little offended. After all, she is only 4. Then I realized what she had said to me. She didn't tell me to stop touching her leg. She didn't even ask me to take my fingers off her knee. She ordered me to not touch her patella.

Glad somebody is listening!

Today, I heart homeschooling.

Wishing

2010-02-10T09:28:00.006-06:00

I have an ongoing wish list for homeschooling. Actually, I have wish lists. I have a wish list on amazon.com, my public library, and rainbowresource.com. I keep a running page of what is working for us and what isn't. I am watching items in my Ebay. Half.com is my friend. I have Post-its on my computer with lists of things to look up and research. I have bookmarks and favorites on my internet pages galore. I lovelovelove all of the office and school products available.

I also have a decent level of restraint when it comes down to what I actually purchase. You see, wishing and purchasing are two different things. One requires a lot of money. And one doesn't.

But this baby is getting moved off of my sonlight.com wish list and into my virtual cart. We have been needing a good microscope for some time. And I finally found the one I want.

I have similar wishes about kitchen items. But that is a whole other post.

Blog Title

2010-02-09T09:18:00.002-06:00

I have been racking my non-creative brain for a new blog title. One without our last name in it. When I began this blog, my only intent was to connect with family, close friends, and have a record of our busy days. I didn't know that the title of this blog would appear on my blogger profile or anywhere else. If I had known that, I would have spent a little more time and effort in coming up with something cute or witty.

I have changed the title to Peeking In On Our Family. I am hoping that it will not be the final title of this blog, but I haven't come up with anything better yet. So until I do (all suggestions welcome), please recognize that this is still the same blog. Minus the surname.

Wii Did It!

2010-02-09T08:56:00.002-06:00

Aaron did not make the trip to work yesterday, due to winter driving conditions. So we decided to bribe the kids to get their homeschooling done before lunch by offering up a surprise. We bought a Wii for Valentine's Day, but the kids didn't know about it. (Well, technically Ellie knew because she overheard us talking about it. Little turd.)

A snowy Monday turned into a productive school day with plenty of time in the afternoon for playing Wii and playing out in the snow. We capped it off with a pancake/eggs/fried potato supper. It is so fun to be able to change up our day once in a while!

The downside is that everybody is sluggish today because of sore arms and legs from hours of playing. The mean mommy/teacher is still going to make them write and do school. A Wii hangover is not a good excuse!

I Heart Homeschooling (Most of the Time)

2010-01-25T12:11:00.003-06:00

Today the wind is howling and the snow is blowing. The kids are all tired from staying up to watch the Vikings lose the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl.

I let them sleep in and declared a pajama day. They were still required to gather laundry, brush teeth, and apply deodorant.

I took extra time to teach Ellie and Maggie how to look up Scripture references in their own Bibles. (They loved it.)

Ellie and Maggie read a chapter of Magic Tree House out loud to me. (They learned about Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius last week and now are wanting to explore further. We have researched on the internet and watched clips of volcanic activity. Caleb suggested a Magic Tree House title about Pompeii.) They then worked on their science journals and took apart the seedlings they were growing to tell me the parts of a plant.

Even with the extras, 85% of our school work was finished before lunch time. Now all we have left to do is make hot cocoa, read books and play games!

I do heart homeschooling. Most of the time.

Maggie, done with school but choosing to read a book over break time. What is she reading?? The Bible storybook we just finished.

Take note of the pajamas with black tights and boots, haha.

Oops. She caught me.

Highlights from Christmas 2009

2010-01-21T09:35:00.006-06:00

Christmas came and went so quickly this time around! We always celebrate at Aaron's side on Christmas Eve day, our home on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and my side on Christmas day in the afternoon.

I didn't take as many pictures this year, but these are a few of the highlights that seemed to show the joy and glee that was felt around our home the entire Christmas break. Aaron stayed home for two weeks and we spent a lot of time just being together as a family. The snow was beautiful, the cooking and baking were great, and we felt God's hand of blessing, protection and provision the entire time!!

Christmas p.j. picture. Don't they all look so big this year??

Ellie was thrilled with each little trinket she received this year.

Micah is fixated on Thomas the train. Above: snuggling on the Thomas pillow.

Below: taking a "nap".

Ellie with cousins Rachel and Kelsey.

2010-01-19T16:37:00.003-06:00

I have found that there is never enough time to get to all of the things that I need to do or want to do. That is the way it is and that is the way it will remain for the near (and maybe distant) future. At some point the kids will be grown and I will be able to keep the house clean for more than 5 minutes, read books, watch an entire movie in one shot, go on dates with my husband, and cook gourmet meals. Until then, this is it.

So bear with my irregular blogging! It is the best I can do. And something has to give, right? I am going to try to catch up with some of our 2009 holiday pics and homeschooling fun over the next week. Until then, here are a couple of shots of what has been keeping me away from blogging!

Maggie fell asleep at the kitchen counter after a night of puking.

Glory got caught playing in the bathroom, again! Can you tell she knows she is doing something she shouldn't be? Micah is her new "best friend". He was just along for the ride, but I think he may be learning some new tricks.

Does anybody else have a kid who cannot resist playing in the bathroom?!

Ready, Set, Bake!

2009-12-16T15:48:00.006-06:00

I may have gotten a later start than normal this year, but the Christmas baking has begun!! I am trying some different things this year. Partly because I just like baking and cooking new things, and partly because I want to make things that I am able to resist.

So far we have done pecan bars, sugar cookies, molasses cookies, and spritz. I don't intend to be quite as ambitious as I was last year, but you never know. Sometimes baking has a way of taking over my life and spinning out of control!

***

I hope you are all finding some fun things to do to prepare for Christmas. We have also cut back from our regular homeschool schedule, but have chosen a couple of books to continue to use as read-alouds and readers. The younger kids are as excited as ever to skip ahead in Bible and read the Christmas story again. It never gets old or boring and we are all amazed each time we read it that God would send His precious Son the way that He did.

Just Chatting

2009-12-15T08:56:00.006-06:00

Micah's vocabulary continues to explode and he is starting to have some interesting things to say. This is last night's conversation that he had with me.

Micah: You are my mommy.

Me: Yes, I am your mommy.

Micah: You're not a cow.

Me: No, I am not a cow.

Micah: You're not a pig.

Me: Nope.

Micah: You are a good, good mommy.

Me: Yes I am!

So sweet! And I am so happy that he knows I am neither a cow nor a pig. And by the way, did you know that a cow says, "Boooooo"?

And It's Only 7:30 in the Morning

2009-12-14T07:36:00.003-06:00

Already this morning I have had to carefully explain, in ten-year-old-boy language, why Tiger Woods is constantly on the news and radio. Even though I change the channel and don't watch news with the kids around, they still seem to hear everything! (One of the advantages to homeschooling our children is that we have been able to keep them from knowing about "adult topics" prematurely.)

This morning Caleb said, "Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods. They are always talking about him!"

I finally told him that Tiger Woods has made some bad choices and that the media keeps talking about it. He couldn't understand that a car crash would be that big of a deal.

Hmmm. How do I explain Tiger's crappy behavior to a child who doesn't know about you-know-what?

I ended up telling him that Tiger is a married man with a family who chose to go on lots of "dates" with other women. I asked him to think about how he would feel if his daddy chose to "date" other women and kiss and hug them.

He wouldn't like that at all. I explained that this is not God's plan for families and that is why it is so sad.

He agreed. But not without adding, "But he's still the best golfer in the world."

***

Meanwhile, I gave Glory a choice of either milk or water with her pancakes and yogurt. Her answer? "Lemonade!"

Is it really only 7:30?

All I Want For Christmas

2009-12-11T07:58:00.004-06:00

Maybe Maggie could wait until 2010 to get her two front teeth.

I love a toothless 6 year old!

My Eyes Is Hot

2009-12-08T17:10:00.003-06:00

Micah woke up yesterday morning with a little temp, hoarse voice, and cough. His symptoms escalated throughout the day and into the night until he was wheezing and miserable. I feel badly for the little bugger; I don't know if he has ever really been sick before (thank You, Lord). I took him to the doctor this morning and he just has croup. It will pass. But in the meantime, he still is super cute. Here are a few of his comments to me:

*"My mouf (mouth) hurts."

*"My throat has a cough."

*"My juice hurts. Kiss it." Apparently the orange juice burned his throat. He proceeded to open his mouth wide and stick out his tongue. Sometimes he asks us to kiss his butt when his bottom is sore from a messy diaper. I do have my limits.

*"Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Mom." He says this when he coughs hard.

*"I need to get a shop." He means shot. As in the H1N1 shot that keeps being discussed around our house.

And lastly, when in bed with me early this morning with a fever he said...
"My eyes is hot."

Joy to the World

2009-12-06T19:22:00.004-06:00

This year is Carlie's first year taking piano lessons. She is absolutely loving it and really wants to practice and learn. Here is a shot of her first piano recital. Following is a video for those of you who wanted to come but weren't able to make it. (The video is a pre-recital run through her piece.)

It's Great to Be Eight!

2009-12-06T19:06:00.003-06:00

Ellie turned eight today! What a fun age. We celebrated with family last night and then Ellie and I went out for lunch and shopping at the mall this afternoon.

2009-11-04T08:53:00.002-06:00

We are one of "those" families who do not go trick-or-treating. We usually end up doing a harvest festival at church or having a fun family evening at home. We have had movie and game night. We have had a bonfire with chili and hot dogs and marshmallows.

This year we went over to my parents' and played games, grilled, watched movies...that sort of thing. A few of the kids decided to dress-up to answer the door to give treats to the 4 trick-or-treaters who showed up.

Micah was a super-hero. We were not allowed to call him Superman and he would not wear his "stupid cape". He also didn't like his hairstyle. In his words, "Don't like it mine hairstyle."

My mom was a happy grandma. All of her kids and grandkids were there.

Carlie has been having fun playing around with Anna J.'s old prom and bridesmaid dresses.

Caleb didn't dress up, but I happened to catch this picture of him being shocked when Anika spit up.

Anna J. Holding Superman's cousin (Liz) and the Little School Girl (Glory).

Ellie was a rock star.

Anika started out the day in a pumpkin orange outfit.

Then she changed into a mini Vikings cheerleader.

She ended the day like a cozy little taco.

Kelley Farm and Wapiti Rendezvous

2009-10-19T20:30:00.011-05:00

This year I decided to join a homeschool group that meets together once per month for support, encouragement, and fun. The leaders of the group decided that it would also be great to get together with our kids for outings and field trips. So far we have gone to a park outing, Wapiti Rendezvous, and the Kelley Farm. We are all having a great time making new friends and exploring different places!

Kelley Farm home

This is a historical working farm. They actually have a HUGE garden in which they grow plants from seed varieties that are 150 years old.

We got to tour the house and do some hands on work/play in the kitchen. The kids kneaded bread dough and chopped rutabagas. The kids also had the chance to clean up the garden, feed the chickens, and help in the barn.

Why was this so much fun? We do at least half of this stuff around our house. And we have electricity and plumbing!

Carlie got to hold down a sheep for other kids to pet and check out.

Nice shot of Glory, behind Carlie's bum. She is petting the sheep, not Carlie. I am not sure who the other kiddo in the picture is, but I overheard Glory telling her that she "really likes her look".

We got to smell a big momma pig and 3 little-un's, up close.

Wait for me!

Time to plow the fields. Ellie was up first.

The following picture was taken at the Wapiti Rendezvous. It was basically a touring camp that was set up to reenact what life would have been like on the frontier. People were dressed and living in the clothing and homes of the period. This picture was of "the naked Indian" who taught us about different types of weapons that Native Americans would have used.

I saw him that later that weekend, driving a truck and trailer around Monticello.

Boys at Work and Play

2009-10-17T14:25:00.009-05:00

The upcoming posts will feature a few things that we have been doing this fall in our homeschool and as a family!

Caleb, after a library trip, soaking up information.

(Actually, he was doing math problems in Lego books.)

Long division practice.

Why is division so much better on a giant piece of paper??

(Thankfully Aaron gets giant Post-Its at the 3M company store.)

Micah sorts things by color. He does this obsessively. But he doesn't know his color names

I didn't get a picture of it, but he loves to sort and count teddy-bear counters. The annoying part is that he insists on putting them back into the jar according to color, as well.

Teach Your Children Well...OR ELSE

2009-09-22T23:14:00.004-05:00

We have had our fair share of gross-ness around our home. But this evening we managed to take things to a whole new level. A certain child ran out of toilet paper while using the basement bathroom. Instead of screaming for help, like everyone else does, this child used not one or two but three sheets of paper towels to finish the job.

Flash forward to the discovery. Carlie was taking a shower and heard the toilet making strange sounds. Aaron proceeded to try to unplug the toilet but the offending paper product had already managed to make its way into the lift station. By Aaron plunging with all his strength, the nasty-sick water was able to back up from the lift station/pump-thingy onto the basement carpet. (Carpet isn't even two years old.)

So tomorrow will be spent with Aaron home from work trying to find a way to salvage the area of soiled carpet.

And I will be doing a homeschool lesson on what is appropriate to flush down the toilet.

Welcome Back to School!

2009-09-15T15:05:00.009-05:00

We "officially" began our homeschool year the end of August and we are now in our 4th week. There has been a definite period of adjustment and our schedule is finally beginning to take shape! On the first day back to school for non-homeschoolers we went to WalMart...empty. Then the orthodontist...quick appointment. Then we went to the playground...also empty. The benefits of homeschooling!

A few first day pics...

My busy class of kids.

Being silly :)

Carlie's Motto: To never do what I am told the first time, second time, or third time I am asked and then have a challenging attitude the rest of the time.

Caleb's Motto: Fifth grade work is really hard, but I will do my best, most of the time!

Ellie's Motto: I must look fabulous, even if I never leave the house and always homeschool!

Maggie's Motto: I love love love love love school, even if my mom is making me do mostly second grade work!

Glory's Motto: It is my goal in life to see how many times a day I can raise my hand. I must rarely ever leave my mom's side and I need to add in my two-cents to Carlie and Caleb's literature discussion. Love the Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Micah's Motto: I will whine, cry, fuss, beg for screen time and do whatever I possibly can to distract every person in the house. I miss all of the attention my siblings usually give me!

14th Anniversary

2009-08-26T15:22:00.004-05:00

Today marks our 14th wedding anniversary. I can remember, before I was married, thinking that people who were in their 30's or married more than 10 years were O.L.D. But here we are, 14 years of marriage, 6 children, our 5th home and entering the eighth year of homeschooling...and I don't feel old at all.

I just feel content. And grateful. And, of course, blessed. Sure, life gets crazy-busy and we don't get to go out on many dates or have long conversations. He leaves for work before I wake up and I am often asleep at night before he comes to bed. We even share our anniversary with Maggie's birthday.

But we make the little moments count. We talk on the phone for a few moments over Aaron's lunch break. We schedule in time to watch a movie together or play a game now and then. And we are constantly striving to love one another as we should love one another.

If someone were to have told me, on our wedding day in 1995, what our life would be like in 2009...I would have laughed in disbelief. But the reality is I love where we are at in life. I honestly can't think of anything I would go back and change about the past 14 years. And I am looking forward to at least another 50 years together.

Baby Grows Over an Inch in Four Days!!

2009-08-26T14:49:00.003-05:00

Baby Uncurled

When Anika was born, an emergency c-section took place. She was breech and when the doctors attempted a version for the second time (version is flipping baby), she experienced distress because of her cord being around her neck.

As a result of being breech, she was curled up like a little ball for the first few days of her life. She was so tightly curled, in fact, that her length measurement was inaccurate.

After unfolding for 4 whole days, her official length changed from 17.75 inches to 19 inches!

Baby Bliss

2009-08-25T11:57:00.006-05:00

I had a rare and awesome opportunity last week to go to Rochester and spend time with my sister, her husband and new baby. My mom and I went on Wednesday morning (without Aaron or my children) and I stayed until Saturday evening. I loved being part of the first moments and days in Anika's life. I could completely sympathize with Anna and her recovery from her c-section (remember I had five of them!).

It is so amazing to watch first-time parents bond with their new little one. Anna and Kelly have great instincts as parents already. I am looking forward to many more visits and cuddles with the little pumpkin. (This totally gave me my "baby fix". It is so much fun to love on a newborn, but yet not be the one responsible for her.)

At the hospital, preparing to take her home. Unfortunately, Kelly had to be at work so my mom and I brought them home.

Anna and Anika...waiting to leave the hospital.

Super proud new daddy.

Aaron and the kids came to pick me up so that they could meet her too.

Did I mention that Anika already smiles? No joke. She smiles when she is fully alert and being talked to. I didn't know that was possible!

Micah wanted to "play with him". We need to work on his personal pronouns.

Taking a little nap...the morning after keeping her mom and dad up most of the night.

Anika

2009-08-18T08:46:00.004-05:00

Introducing:

Anika Rose

6 lbs. 13 oz.

17.75 inches long
Daughter to Anna and Kelly

I am so thrilled that my sister had her baby yesterday!! I haven't seen her in person yet, but I have heard she is adorable (as expected). She has a natural love of sucking her thumb and seems to have had lots of practice at that skill.

Ouch!!!

2009-07-30T15:49:00.009-05:00

I am so thankful for our amazing health insurance. We have never taken it for granted and have made great use out of it over the last couple of weeks. Ellie was in with a bad reaction to poison ivy. Then last week Ellie and Glory both came down with strep throat. Add to that 3 visits to the chiropractor this past week for me because my back has been acting up.

And then there was this.

Maggie took a fall on Wednesday night after coming home from our church picnic. She somehow fell up the one step into the garage and made contact with the metal step on the door of the garage service door. There was a LOT of blood and just as many tears. (I am not sure who cried more...Maggie or Ellie and Caleb!) I am certain they were all quite freaked out by the blood.

We have been down the ER road before, so I grabbed her jammies and blanket (she was filthy from the beach and wearing a swimsuit with dirty and wet clothes over the top) and we headed to the hospital. She calmed down quickly and did not shed another tear at the hospital. (If you know Maggie, that is huge for her.)

4 stitches later and it was done! She commented on the way home that she "had fun at the doctor". I think she liked having two parents hovering over her with no other kids with. Oh, and it didn't hurt that they turned the t.v. on for her, gave her a blanket out of the warmer, and filled her hands with stickers on her way out the door.

Snapshots of Our Summer

2009-07-30T15:25:00.006-05:00

Rachel and Ellie

Caleb and Calvin

Chubby baby Samantha (so squishy!)

Aaron's 35th Bday cupcakes

35th Bday cake

Annual Lakeside Fireplace church picnic

More picnic fun

Beautiful bride, Anna, and "the team"

Glory, Micah, Jenna, and Liz

The team

My beautiful sisters

Anna (pregnant) and Nora

Aren't they adorable??

Almost August

2009-07-30T15:17:00.004-05:00

My summer has been out-of-control busy. But I think things are winding down and I can actually get back to normal (whatever that is).

What I've been busy with:

*my brother's wedding
*Aaron's 35th birthday
*Bethel roomie get-together
*annual church picnic
*numerous bridal showers (with me involved in some ways)
*bachelorette party for me and bachelor party for Aaron
*vehicle problems (new transmission in the Suburban)
*Aaron installed a sprinkler system (time consuming)
*planning upcoming school year
*house projects and yard work

What's left:

*finalizing and organizing for school (might start some schoolwork next week)
*I am throwing a baby shower this weekend for my sister, Anna
*2 other showers to attend in August
*our upcoming anniversary
*Maggie's birthday

More Earrings!

2009-06-26T11:24:00.003-05:00

I don't know if the reason she finally gave in was because her 3 sisters have pierced ears or not, but Maggie finally did it! She was nervous and worried about the pain. (The girl cries about everything but didn't even budge with wart removals or shots). She walked into Claire's. Then she walked back out. And then back in. Up into the chair she went with eyes squeezed close and fists in tight little balls. And then it was over. No tears or screams. Not even a flinch.

Maggie has joined the pierced ear club. She chose her August birthstone and is as happy as a clam. (Whatever that means...)

Reward Trip

2009-06-22T09:39:00.006-05:00

Micah went on 3 different trains.

Caleb is driving this car.

Carlie got a chance to drive too. (She did rear end Caleb!)

The Mild Thing

Could she be any more excited?

Each year we try to do something fun to mark the end of another successful year of homeschooling. We all deserve it. (Especially me!) This year we decided to tackle Valleyfair. It was a fun day with weather a little on the cool side. That suited us just fine as we didn't need to fight people for a shady spot or constantly stand in line for a cool drink (which turns into standing in line at the bathroom).

Even a fun day turned into a learning day for our family. Here are a few things we learned.

1. Caleb's face turns a pasty shade of white when he goes on a roller coaster.

2. The train in the kid area goes out of the protective view out of the parents.

3. Micah doesn't mind being out of my eyesight, all alone on the train.

4. The rest of the family is not too happy when Micah is out of our eyesight, by himself.

5. The "responsible person" who needs to accompany the smaller kids on rides has to do the same rides over and over again. And that person was me, as I am the only adult who can handle the spinning.

6. The Scrambler is not as much fun the third time.

7. I don't like spinning as much as I used to.

8. People should use the bathroom before going on a roller coaster for the first time. You know who you are.

9. Ellie is fearless and will go on any ride...if she is tall enough.

10. Glory is even more fearless and went on rides that only Ellie would try.

11. Ice cream at Valleyfair costs as much as a meal at McDonald's for the whole family.

12. When you have six kids it is always a smart idea to have extra people along to help. (Thank you, Mom and Dad, for coming with at the last minute.)

13. Don't ever count on tired kids falling asleep on the drive home. (Glory and Micah talked and laughed the whole way.)

Caleb's 10th Birthday

2009-06-14T16:24:00.006-05:00

Okay. This post has been sitting, waiting to be published since Caleb's birthday. I haven't been able to do what I want with the pics on blogger for some reason, but here they are!

Caleb celebrated his tenth birthday with a campout with his closest buds. (These buds happen to be his cousins, too!)

Jordan, Cody, Jamison (in the back), Curtis and Caleb

Can I just say that boy parties are SO MUCH EASIER than girl parties?? No leaving anybody out or complaining or whining. (Okay, okay...there were a few tears out of the little guys, but they didn't last long.)

Play Time

2009-06-14T16:19:00.002-05:00

He just can't get enough of his trucks, cars, planes and trains!

Brace Face!

2009-06-03T13:39:00.004-05:00

Braces are on! Let the fun begin.

No gum. No corn on the cob. No sticky things. No crunchy things. Brushing, flossing, rinsing...over and over again.

But it will all be worth it.

2 years from now.

Taylor's Falls Day Trip

2009-06-01T09:29:00.005-05:00

Catch-Up

2009-06-01T09:13:00.003-05:00

Summer vacation is in full-swing at our house and has already been over-the-top busy!

*Finished school a couple of weeks ago. Carlie and Caleb will complete their standardized tests today.

*The garden is in and growing. Herbs and flowers are planted. Now we just need some rain.

*The new septic/drain field will be finished up today. (Pictures later...what a mess our yard is!)

*Caleb turned 10!

*Did a Mother's Day trip to Taylor's Falls. So much fun. And it was great not to have to try to push Micah in a stroller.

*Spring cleaning. And cleaning. And cleaning.

*I have been sorting through homeschool stuff. And sorting. And sorting.

*Ordering curriculum for next year. (It is a vicious cycle that never ends!)

There you have it. A very short summary of what has been shakin' around here.

What We've Been Up To

2009-05-04T16:29:00.007-05:00

We are in the last days of our official school year and things are crazy-busy around here. Add onto the demands of school a long list of to-do's and you can understand why I haven't been blogging. Wedding plans (for my brother and his fiance), spring cleaning and organizing, beautiful weather to enjoy, a septic system that needs replacing, standardized testing for school, the list goes on and on and on and on. Here is a little photo update to catch you up!

Micah has begun to give me the silent treatment when he is mad.

Lots of swingset time.

Climbing trees.

A yard that has a bunch of holes to get ready for a new drain field.

More tree climbing.

Rhubarb is almost ready to pick!

Trees and shrubs are budding and blooming.

Bike riding.

Look At That Gal!!

2009-04-24T13:24:00.004-05:00

Maggie-"Mom, I need a gal."
Me- "What are you talking about?"
Maggie- "You know, a gal of milk?"

Maggie has been working with measures of capacity. Yesterday I whipped out a quart jar, a gallon of milk, a dry measuring cup, and a 2 liter pop bottle to compare English measures with the metric system. I guess I have never heard any of my other kids refer to the measurements by their abbreviations!

Caught on Camera

2009-04-23T09:17:00.002-05:00

Cookie Monster

Glory's Birthday

2009-04-21T18:31:00.004-05:00

Glory turned four on Monday. I love making my kids feel special for their whole birthday by making them special meals throughout the day, letting them take the day off school, and that sort of thing. But I was still really sick and the day didn't go according to plan. After my doctor appointment we did manage to grab some pizzas and a store-bought cake to have a short, but memorable, celebration.

Baking Day

2009-04-21T18:25:00.006-05:00

I was sick over the weekend so Aaron took over for me. He did a great job with the kids, but the big surprise was when he decided to whip up a batch of cookies. (In almost fourteen years of marriage, I have never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever seen him bake anything. He doesn't cook, either.) I had to drag my sick self out of bed to document what may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Glory Update

2009-04-14T11:52:00.002-05:00

Glory has had a heart murmur since she was an infant. Her doctor has monitored it carefully, but decided it was time to bring in the opinion of a specialist. Yesterday we headed to see Dr. Chip, a pediatric cardiologist. I am very thankful to report that her very loud murmur is completely fine and she doesn't need anything else done!!! So now we know and don't have to be concerned about it anymore.

After the doctor visit we headed to the mall and got her ears pierced. "Diamond" earrings to celebrate her 4th birthday a week early.

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T11:21:00.004-05:00

This is the first Easter that I did not get a picture of the kids in their Easter outfits!! I cannot believe that I missed that opportunity. Not only did I miss out on the annual family Easter picture, I had a hard time catching kids in action during the Easter egg hunt.

Maggie was the big winner of the most money found in eggs. She came out of the day $10.05 richer.

Glory and her good friend, Tirzah. They were checking out what was inside their eggs.

280 eggs + 16 crazy kids = very few good pictures, but a lot of fun

Belt, Anyone?

2009-04-10T09:25:00.004-05:00

Micah seems to have a caught a condition that I like to call "Toddler Butt". I am hoping that this is a temporary thing that he will outgrow. (But Dr. H. tells me that he is still only 5th percentile for height.) If he is this saggy with a diaper, I can only imagine what will happen when he graduates to big boy undies.

New Arrival

2009-04-08T21:15:00.006-05:00

Update: They changed the name to Ellis, which was the original name they were thinking of.

I just got back from the hospital. My brother, Casey and his wife, Christine welcomed their third child into the world. A baby boy. William Anthony. He came about three weeks early, as he wasn't due until the beginning of May. I am so thankful for another baby in the bunch to love on!

William Anthony

6 pounds

20 inches

Rochester Highlights

2009-04-07T13:36:00.007-05:00

Here are some pictures from our Rochester trip. We love hanging out with Anna and Kelly and it was fun to spend the night and squeeze more action into the trip. We went bowling, went to a beautiful nature center, and played games.

Anna, 18 weeks pregnant with their baby girl. I couldn't keep my eyes or hands away from her beautiful belly. I think she might have been the highlight of my trip. My ovaries are aching.

Cute tummy.

Okay, Micah is pretty cute too. He loved running around at the nature center.

A rare family photo.

The huge fish tank at the nature center. Kelly bought minnows to feed the fish. One of the fish almost got a bite of Caleb.

Maggie is always posing. Even while bowling.

Glory is learning how to set up a bowling game.

Glory pointed her hands straight out until her ball hit the pins.

Birthday Bash

2009-03-31T20:09:00.007-05:00

Micah's birthday wasn't so much a big bash as it was just a fun time of being together. He doesn't have a special supper that he loves, so instead we had a birthday breakfast. His morning consisted of French toast, strawberries, milk, bacon and potato patties. He got to hang out in his high chair, in his jammies and have his birthday cupcake. My mom and dad came over (she did the vast majority of the cooking) and it was a perfect celebration for a special little boy. Then it was off to Rochester for the weekend!

Two Years Ago...

2009-03-26T10:25:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow my baby will be two! It is hard to believe that 2 years have gone by already. My pregnancy with Micah was a difficult one with me having placenta previa and preeclampsia. I was on bedrest and he was delivered (my 5th c-section) at 36 weeks. Because of my blood pressure, he had a low birthweight. Despite all of the circumstances, he was healthy and had no problems. This was truly a miracle and an answer to many of your prayers. God is so good!

Me, after an amnio showed that he was definitely not ready to be born, but I was so sick that we needed to get him delivered. I was sent to North Memorial because he would need to be in the N.I.C.U. (If only I had a picture of me with my face swollen and my eyes barely open :)

Bedrest at North. I was so happy to see my kids and SO homesick.

After 6 weeks of bedrest, 9 ultrasounds, 13 non-stress tests, countless bodily fluid samples, and 2 amnios, Micah Aaron was born.

4 lbs 13 oz, 18 inches long

So cute! And so tiny! He was down to 4 lbs 5 oz when we came home from the hospital. Even his preemie clothes were too big.

A big yawn for a little peanut.

My mom is the proud grandma who took care of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE for me. I am so thankful for her.

I will post some bday pics later on.

My Eye!

2009-03-25T19:46:00.002-05:00

Sometimes strange things happen. A lot of those strange things seem to happen at our house. Today a certain child (HINT- 5 years old, female, with a ton of crazy hair) was using the bathroom.

Child: Mom! I gotted pee in my eye!

Me: What?!?!?!

Child: I gotted pee in my eye!

Me: How in the world did you manage that?

Child: I was watching when I was going to the bathroom and was too close. It is my right eye.

Me: Into the bath! I sure hope you don't get some sort of eye infection.

Child proceeds to freak out over the thought of an infection. But she was very calm when it was "just" pee in the eye.

Lesson learned: there is no need to watch when you are on the toilet.

G.L.O.R.Y.

2009-03-24T09:40:00.003-05:00

Over the last couple of weeks, Glory has gone around the house spelling her name out loud and referring to herself as G.L.O.R.Y. She has shown a very sudden thirst for learning and all things school. I have been keeping her busy with Kumon workbooks and printables from the computer. I think it is paying off because she is as pleased as can be with herself and makes sure to get ready for school each day.

Glory wrote her own name, all by herself while I was switching laundry!

I was S.U.R.P.R.I.S.E.D. I just showed her how to write her name a few days ago.

A very happy 3 (almost 4) year old.

P.R.O.U.D.

Magic Fork

2009-03-17T14:12:00.005-05:00

This was Micah's 4th giant pancake. I was trying to catch video of him being silly while he was eating. Instead, he saw the camera and displayed his usual charming personality. His crabbiness continued until he saw the magic fork. The fork truly must be magical, as it helped to lighten his mood!!

Signs of Spring

2009-03-16T16:50:00.009-05:00

Today is a beautiful 61 degree day at our house. We have some definite signs of spring, aside from the radiant sunshine and the obvious warm-up in temperatures.

Signs That Spring Has Sprung:

1. The yard (and former ice rink) has turned into a mini-lake and stream.

2. I have many extra loads of laundry to do...see sign 1.

3. The laundry tubs are being used more than normal...sign 1.

4. Oxy-Clean has, once again, become a favorite household cleaner...sign 1. (In addition to Magic Erasers and Windex.)

5. Bikes, scooters, lawn chairs, playhouses, and other toys have all made a season premiere.
6. Band-aids are being used liberally...sign 5.
7. The urgency to complete school for the day/year is being felt by all.

The beauty of homeschooling...kids can work outside when weather permits.

The Color Wheel

2009-03-04T20:51:00.005-06:00

Today my sister, Nora, came to do some hair. Hair color is a great opportunity for a little homeschool lesson on mixing colors! How do you get pink? Ellie knew that some red and white will make a great pink. If you add some purple in you will come up with this hot pink pigment.

Painting pink tips.

Doing her reading while waiting for her hair to process.

What a glamour girl!

For those of you questioning my parenting choices, the color will be cut out in a few weeks when she needs a trim. Thanks for your concern.

What's Missing?

2009-03-04T20:46:00.002-06:00

There is something so special and sweet about kids losing their first teeth. Last night Maggie lost her first tooth, all on her own.

In her words, "I just wiggled it out!"

One Thousand Words

2009-03-03T08:20:00.004-06:00

Micah

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is this one saying?

*turkey, stinker, cutie, trouble, fit-sy, naughty, love-bug, dumpling, toddler, tantrum, uh-oh!

2 years old is right around the corner!

Mr. Manners

2009-03-02T17:37:00.005-06:00

Part of our homeschool curriculum includes health. The first few years of health are called Health, Safety, and Manners. Today Caleb learned some special manners he hadn't previously known.

Special Manners for Boys:

*Let girls go first.

*Open doors for girls.

*Carry heavy packages for girls.

*Give up your seat for a girl that is standing.

*Help girls be seated at the table.

*If you wear a hat or cap, take it off when you go inside.

Special Manners for Girls:

*Accept a seat that is offered to you by a boy.

*Let boys open doors for you.

*Let boys help you be seated.

*Always say "thank you" when a boy helps you carry something, offers you a seat, or opens a door for you.

I started laughing when he read these lists to me. I found them to be out-of-date and unrealistic. But as I started to explain to Caleb why each of these manners were listed, I realized just how un-polite of a society we live in. Our culture doesn't teach boys and girls to be the men and women God desires them to be. We don't treat one another with the basic respect that we should.

Now I don't expect every man to open my doors or lift my packages, but seriously, when I am walking toward a door with an infant in a car seat, a diaper bag, a purse, and a toddler by the hand...just open the door!

So while some of these were silly to me, the heart of the message was solid. It isn't really about offering a seat or accepting a seat that is given. Common courtesy is what it comes down to. It doesn't matter what gender or faith you are, or what political party you belong to. We should all treat one another well!!

Changes

2009-02-24T13:37:00.007-06:00

Spring may not be quite here yet, but I have the bug. (Today it is 37 degrees and my children want to be outside in light sweatshirts, sunglasses, and sneakers.) We had a little warm-up a few weeks ago and I found myself delving into some early spring cleaning. Unfortunately, clean windows don't last long around here!

The arrival of spring means that I have home, yard, and garden projects on the brain. Of the many things on my list of to-do's comes painting. This past weekend we tackled the laundry room. I realize the laundry room may not be the obvious first choice to many people. But if you consider how much time I spend in there, you can understand why it was my priority.

Getting ready.

A little experiment I had a couple of years ago. Don't think so.

Gross bugs in the light fixture.

Keeping it real. How disgusting is it under you washer and dryer?? Don't judge me.

The foreman on the job.

The perfect shade for my room. The color is called, "Quiet Moment".

I think it is more likely, "Wishful Thinking."

The almost-finished project. I still need a new curtain and shade. Back to reality.

What a Day

2009-02-23T18:35:00.008-06:00

Today has been a hectic, nutso day. To say the least. Crying kids, complaining kids, screaming kids, fighting kids...you get the point.

Having had enough, I sent Glory and Micah down to watch a movie while I finished up reading with Ellie and Maggie. Ahhh, finally some peace and quiet. We were all cuddled up on the couch reading sight words from a white board when, "CRASH!"

Glory had run into the door of a glass cabinet (formally for a stereo, now used to store some media junk). Let me rephrase. She had run into the cabinet door with her face. Somehow that little bump caused the glass to explode. Quite literally, it exploded. Glass was everywhere. The glass made a Rice Krispy crackling noise as it broke into more pieces in the aftermath. It took me over an hour to clean up the glass mess.

Fast forward a few hours. Carlie was being helpful and unloading the dishwasher. "Crash!" There goes a mug. All over the wood floor this time.

I must admit, I am glad that Aaron is now home and I have my back-up on duty.

*no children were harmed during the course of this day...yet!*

Thankful Thursday

2009-02-19T17:46:00.003-06:00

I love tivo/dvr. The whole concept of recording tv programs and movies digitally is not new to me. I have wanted tivo for-EVER. But until we got the dvr system with our television service, I truly had no idea what I was missing.

What is to love? These are a few things that I appreciate:

1. I can record or delete at the touch of a button. Wonderful for me, but even better for recording movies for the kids!
2. This is a time saver if there is something we want to watch. No commercials=happy. Some of those commercial breaks are 4-5 minutes long.
3. The pause function for "live" tv is great.

I am sure there are many other positives that I have yet to discover. For now I am recording movies like crazy. I am not sure why I am recording so often. Aaron and I only watch a movie once in a while, and very rarely finish an entire movie in one sitting.

Maybe it is the novelty of new technology. Maybe I am just saving up for that rainy, lazy day sometime in the future. (Although chances are better that I will read a book than watch a movie :) Whatever the reason, technology is a-maz-ing.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T18:43:00.007-06:00

It seems we have formed a tradition of just being together as a family on Valentine's Day. Aaron and I don't go out on a date. We don't do anything crazy or exciting with the kids. Instead we just try to make the day special and sweet for everybody. This year the children woke up to a special valentine from us and then we all took a trip to the public library. The kids were all happy to have time to browse and check-out some books. Caleb, Ellie, and Maggie each got their own library card. (I don't generally take all 6 kids to the library by myself. So this really was exciting!)

The remainder of the day was spent ice skating in the backyard and having a special meal and dessert. The kids were thrilled with a cake made straight from the box with store-bought frosting and lots of sprinkles.

The cake. Icky to me...but yummy to them.

Lucky girl. Leftover frosting.

The day after. Someone's had their fingers in the cake?!?!?!

Guilty.

How to Beat the Winter Blahs

2009-02-04T18:59:00.004-06:00

Get a haircut and make weird faces.

Play-Doh craft caddy. $10.98 at Target when they were having an amazing sale. (My friend, Traci, also hit some sales. My intention was to save this for a gift, but it has been worth every penny.)

Get a haircut and play like the big kids.

Make "crystals" from a home science experiment kit.

Or read a good book.

Valentine's Celebrations

2009-02-02T13:51:00.003-06:00

I realize that Valentine's Day is just a "made-up by the card industry" holiday. But it is still FUN!! Around here, we are all about doing things to create memories as a family. If that means doing silly holiday celebrations, so be it. Valentine's Day happens to be a particularly special day for us to show our love for other people. What a perfect opportunity to go out of our way to be more Christ-like toward one another! (Obviously, that should be our every moment's focus. Special days just help us to really put forth our best efforts.)

I would love to hear some of your Valentine's Day traditions. I am always looking for new ideas. If you have a special place you go, meal you make, treat you bake, gift you give or receive, or unique idea...please leave me a comment or message through facebook.

If I Had a Million Dollars, Part 1

2009-01-30T14:44:00.004-06:00

I would have enough bedrooms so that each of my kids could have their own. Then, when I told them to go clean their rooms, they wouldn't try to blame their messes on each other. They would each have their own space to go when sent to their rooms. And Micah could have his own room instead of using up the space in the master bedroom closet. Our closet has a window, regular light, and a heating/cooling vent. He is not neglected or locked in a traditional closet. I just don't like it when he messes his diaper while playing in his crib. Pretty sure all of my clothes smell.

I would have two washers and two dryers. One set could be for clothing and the other for towels, sheets, and other things.

"I Told You...

2009-01-24T08:56:00.005-06:00

...that you kids were going to turn Micah into a little monster!"

It is official. Micah has begun to have fits, temper tantrums, and spazzoids. This week, suddenly, the tide has turned. Months of giving into his cute cries and fusses have lead to an almost 2-year-old boy who is spoiled by his siblings. He doesn't want to share his lap space or his toys. Little Dude yells the words MEAN and MEANIE liberally. You had better not look at him the wrong way.

He is particular about how his food is served. The following video clip was taken this morning when he said his Raisin Bran was "cold". Go figure. Cold cereal being cold???!!!

WARNING: Turn the volume down. I mean it.

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-22T11:26:00.007-06:00

Last week I decided that I should do an occasional list of things/people/ideas/whatever I am thankful for. Then I had the idea that I could do a "Thankful Thursday". I am sure that it is not an original idea. It is even a little dorky. I still want to do it. I like dorky things. And I love the alliteration in the title. When I decided to do a "Thankful Thursday" it was a Friday. My plan is to post what I am thankful for during the time period that I am posting.

Today I am thankful:

*For beach towels. They make an amazing carpet covering during a bout of stomach flu.

*For anti-bacterial wipes. So great for cleaning sinks and bathrooms during a bout of stomach flu.

*For homeschooling. It provides us with a flexible schedule during a bout of stomach flu. Homeschooling also enables us to avoid many germs, making this our first virus of any sort during the 2008-2009 school year.

*For empty ice cream buckets during a bout of stomach flu.

*That this will pass. A promise that I cling to during a bout of stomach flu.

40 Years Ago

2009-01-18T19:19:00.003-06:00

40 years ago today my father was on an airplane on his way to Vietnam. He was a young 18 year old boy. A man by government standards. A boy in the eyes of his family. A young man ready to fight for his country. A brave boy who volunteered to fight. A son who didn't know what was to come.

We haven't spoken specifically about how he was feeling on the airplane. I can only imagine the range of his emotions. Excitement, fear, nervousness, curiosity, and anxiety. Maybe it was his first flight. Who was there to see him off? What were his parents and other family members doing when he left? I have so many questions about that time.

So many answers are clouded by the memories and pain of his Vietnam experience. Someday I would like to write it all out for him. I would be honored to chronicle his time spent in the military. But now is not the time. It is still too difficult and too painful for him.

He wasn't in Vietnam very long. He was shot and nearly died. He saw things and heard things and felt things that no eighteen year old should have to come across. He lost friends and fellow soldiers. He was changed forever.

Fast-forward 40 years. He is a father of six. A grandpa of 11, soon to be 13. A friend to many. Tomorrow he will go on another plane ride. This time for a vacation with my mom to Mexico. I am sure he is going to taste some of those same emotions on the plane. But my prayer is that he will bring back wonderful memories. And maybe a suntan, too. :)

Miss Independent

2009-01-15T17:37:00.003-06:00

Glory was being especially cute and sweet this evening. I felt the need to comment on how adorable she is. Our conversation follows.

Me: Can I keep you?

Glory: No. I want to live in a different place.

Me: What??? Where do you want to live?

Glory: I want to live in Monticello.

Me: Can I come and visit you?

Glory: Yes, you can visit. Is this Monticello?

Me: No, it is Big Lake.

Glory: Well, I don't want to live in Big Lake. I want to live in Monticello.

Monticello is where we head out for groceries, doctor and dentist visits, Target, Walmart, the library and community center. No wonder she wants to live there. It must seem like Monticello is the entire world to a 3.75 year old. Good to know she doesn't plan to live too far away, lol.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-01-15T08:02:00.003-06:00

I have to be honest. The cold weather conditions don't affect me a whole lot. I actually haven't even gone further than the door of the garage since coming home from church on Sunday. (It is Thursday today.) Even then, we have a heated garage so heading out to church was no biggie.

We don't have a snow day from school today. I don't have to worry about my truck not starting to leave for work. I haven't had to bundle the kids up to get them to school this week.

I am so thankful for all of these things. I was even more thankful when I saw the actual air temperature here at 8am. -25 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't even have a clue what the wind chill is right now. I really don't even need to know.

I am perfectly content to sit with a cup of tea in front of the fireplace and read with my kids.

Not Just Another Load of Laundry

2009-01-13T15:31:00.007-06:00

As you can well imagine, my laundry room is constantly busy with sorting, washing, drying, and folding. Today just happened to be sheet day for the kids. (Just keeping it real here...I only actually wash their sheets every other week, or earlier if a need comes up. Six kids with bunk beds, twin beds, and cribs makes for a lot of work.)

Today I decided that everyone needed their snugglers and lovies washed in hot water and Dreft. Usually I just throw those in with whatever load of laundry I can, but today I threw all the blankies in at once. We have two Gymboree blankets, Micah's crib blankets and his 3 silky/nubby blankets, Maggie's four blankets, and Glory's 4 Little Giraffe blankets. (If you know Little Giraffe, you know their stuff is EXPENSIVE. I did not pay retail for her blankies but bought them from a wholesaler on Ebay. Just thought you should know.)

As you can see here, they make an entire load!!

This was the first time ever that there was no drama over the blankies getting washed!!!! Granted, we had to conduct a secret operation to get Micah's stuff into the washer. And then again to get the load into the dryer.

In the end it was so worth it. I wish I would have taken video of them all taking their warm, clean blankies out of the basket. Lots of smiles all around.

What could be better than a warm and clean blanket on a day when the temperature has yet to make it to zero degrees?

Vacation's Over

2009-01-02T15:00:00.017-06:00

The past two weeks have gone by in a flash. Aaron took almost two weeks off from work and we had our Christmas break from homeschooling. It was wonderful, but we all know that all good things come to an end. So today was spent gearing back up for school and work. Before we get back to the routine, I thought I would share a bit of our break.

Lots of snow in MN during the month of December.

Some of Aaron's nieces and nephews at the Dee's home on Christmas Eve.

Skinny Santa made an appearance at Aaron's family celebration. We totally do NOT do the Santa-thing. But Glory got into the spirit and gave him lots of love. Ellie even gave a polite curtsy in her poofy Christmas dress.

The kids received toothbrushes in their stockings. Micah preferred to use it on his head.

Glory thought the toothbrush did wonders for her skin.

Caleb loves building and thinking and gaming. Perfection.

A keyboard for the budding worship leader. Carlie can plug headphones in to this piano!!

Glory was sharing her "joy" over the birth of her Savior with Grandpa. Note his earplugs. Not just for Glory, but for everyone.

Cousins. Too cute.

Cousins. Wrestlin'.

Handsome men.

Time for a de-stressing massage. See the skinny one in the front? Anna is pregnant and wise. She took the front so that she wouldn't have to rub someone else. See the dude in the back? BIL Gavin. He is from Canada. He isn't getting a back-rub.

Anna, Kelly and dear, sweet Carlie.

What's so funny?

No. Really. What is SO funny?

The perfect place to play. Underneath the stools.

Okay. So I went a little crazy with all of the pictures in this post. But I just wanted to give the world a small taste of how incredibly blessed we are by family and friends. (We also spent a super-fun New Year's Eve with church friends. Thank you, Jim and Julia, for being brave enough to invite our entire family over to your lovely home. You are one of the few who has!!) Our time off was spent with people we love and getting to know Jesus better, as a family. It was wonderful and memorable. But vacation's over.