Seven Quick Takes (and a bunch of pictures)

1)Yesterday it snowed. Although it's still October, the weather is a sure sign that lovely fall days will soon be behind us. How is it that the seasons pass so quickly by?

Flag football on a glorious Saturday morning

The schedule in our household has been incredibly busy, more so than usual, due to some extra doctor appointments and medical testing, as well as the general frenzy that ensues from raising 5 active kids.

I thank God for calling me to a homeschooling life. Even though we are on the road for activities every night of the week (except Sunday), we can generally carve out some peaceful time at home during our days.

2)We had some good news this week. For the past couple months, we've been mentally preparing ourselves for a big surgery we were certain Spike would be needing this year. After meeting with his urologist on Tuesday, it appears he is actually doing pretty well, and the surgery won't be necessary!! What a huge relief!

3)Both girls have celebrated birthdays in the past 10 days. Joy is now 12, and Yoyo is 6!! On her birthday. Yoyo lost her second front upper tooth and now officially looks like a jack o' lantern.

4)Baby is up to 3 consecutive steps.  I'm putting off his 18-month well baby appointment until I can definitively answer "yes' to the question 'is he walking?'  He's a happy little dude.  This week he discovered queso and salsa.

Sisterly love

5)Nutcracker rehearsals are ramping up to full tilt.  Joy had her costume fitting, and Yoyo's will be coming up soon... 

6)For her birthday, Joy requested another kitty.  We are suckers, so we agreed.  Her name is 'Clara.'  What a cute little spitfire of a feline.

Daddy's working nights, so....  movie night!

new favorite toy

clearly up to no good

This is what happens every time his bath is over.

7)I'm late to the party, but my brother and husband have gotten me completely addicted to Breaking Bad.  I'm normally more of a Downton Abbey and HGTV fan, but yeesh, this show is intriguing. 

Have a great weekend!!  Linking up with Jen today!!

My 5-year-old Has Me Pegged

Out of the mouth of babes....  As 'they' say...

Earlier this week I was sort of half aware that Miss Yo-yo was singing an unfamiliar tune at the top of her llungs.  After Several minutes, Joy said to me,"Mom, listen to the lyrics!"

She was singing repeatedly,"It takes me 15 minutes to gets my mom's atteeeeeention!!".    Oh my.

Yesterday morning, as I was gathering breakfast for everybody, Miss Yoyo struck again with the following:
Yoyo:  Mom, I think you need some coffee.

Me:  Why do you say that?

Yoyo:  Because you're not really even awake and you still have those purple ringy things under your eyes.

Awesome.

Well, the good news is her observation skills are clearly very advanced.

Have a great weekend!

Nutcracker News

See this sweet girl who dances non-stop, in class and out of class, indoors and outdoors, choreographing and pirouetting her way through life?  She's been working hard at her art for many  years. 

We just found out she's been cast as Clara in our local production of the Nutcracker.

She is honored and thrilled and in a bit of shock. 

Please pray for her and for all of us as we begin rehearsals.  Please pray for health and avoidance of injuries and mental stamina. 

If anybody would like tickets, just let me know. 

Happy Friday!! 

P.S.  Her little sister will make her Nutcracker debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy Puppet.  Ballerina thrills all around!!! 

The Swing

 

How do you like to go up in a swing?

Up in the sky so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing,

e'er a child can do!

                             ---Robert Louis Stevenson

Field Trip #1

When the day brings sunny, 75-degree weather, a spontaneous zoo field trip is a must. Reason I love homeschooling #5678: after school starts, we can enjoy places like this with hardly any crowds.

Christmas card material... I think not.

Big Sissy wanted to give my Ergo carrier a try... 



Baby is so happy about this!

More crackers, please.

Hurry and get on the train, Mom!  You're going to get left behind!!



Have a great weekend! 

School Begins

Color-coded schedule in hand, I launched my kiddos into 'school mode' two weeks ago.  we eased in gradually, really, adding new subjects, curricula, and extra-curricular activities as we went.  This week, we are up and running full tilt, and, of course, this is the week somebody's not feeling well, somebody else is having trouble sleeping, so mornings are later than planned, my perfectly ordered time chart out the window.

But, it's Ok.  I knew it would happen.  I painstakingly plan things out because I know, mentally, I need that preparation as a jumping-off point, an ideal.  But, day to day, we have to roll with what is, and sometimes, oftentimes, the best learning happens precisely when it wasn't planned.

So, we carry on, learning, living, growing through the ups and downs.  Like the sign I brought home from our recent vacation says, "together is a wonderful place to be."

Love this post by Elizabeth Foss.

Have a great Wednesday!