Icecicles

I don't know why, but this year there have been a shocking amount of icicles hanging from our house. It must be from a the thawing and freezing that has been going on.

But instead of fretting about ice-dams and roof damage. I decided to let the kids have fun with them instead. They had been watching them grow for days and were beyond excited to finally go collect some. (And yes, I know that an icicle to the head would be a very bad thing. Before they went out I knocked down all the questionable ones, and then we made a very firm rule that everyone had to be on the porch before anyone could knock them down)

One of the kids would throw the ball at the icicles. (It was usually Sofie. She was the one who could reliably hit them) And then they would all scramble to the indents in the snow and pull them out. They did this for a couple of hours! Who knew some ice and a deflated ball could be so much fun. But these are the kind of activities that make me happy. The kids, working together, playing with found objects, truly entertaining themselves. No TV, computer, or Wii in sight. Aaahhh...

He's Golden

We recently celebrated John's 6th birthday!

I have come to love this February birthday time. When he was born I was a little hesitant about his day being so close to Christmas, and granted, people are sometimes a little "familied out" by the time his birthday rolls around. But I am finding it a great distraction in the middle of the great winter yawn.

I also completely enjoy that my family makes the trek up for his birthday almost every year. (there is usually a motorcycle show that is going on on the same weekend to entice them as well...) It's one of the few times during the year where there aren't vacations and/ or hunting trips to compete with.

I tell ya, it's a great time of year to have a party.

The day started out with pancakes. John's favorite breakfast. Then the guys decided it was time to hit the motorcycle show, to which John decided that he did NOT want to go to. Crazy kid. But it was his birthday, so O.k.

We tried something a little different this birthday. We let him open up the gifts through out the day instead of keeping them all till the party. Which I am really starting to like that tradition. That way they are enjoying each present instead of being overwhelmed at once. Plus, then the whole day is special instead of just the end.

We had a Taco bar for supper and I pulled myself together and made a birthday cake. I guess I'm becoming some-what famous for all my birthday cakes. My neice had been peppering her Mom with question all day about what it was going to be this year. :) Caleb especially enjoyed the cake. He needed a sink bath after that escapade. Fun was had by all.

Oh, and we did manage to infect a lot of people with the cold that had been going around our house. Sorry to everyone who is suffering at this point... They are just little germ factories I tell ya. :)

Homeschool Co-op, Valentine's Style

We are thoroughly enjoying our homeschool co-op this year. Both Sofia and John are in Creation Science, Art, and Gym classes. Sofie says that Science is her favorite class, John says that his is Gym. :)

While Sofie and John are in their classes all morning, Lilia, Caleb, and I have plenty of time for socialization and fellowship with fellow homeschoolers. Truly one of the highlights of my week!

Today was a special Co-op because we were celebrating Valentines Day. We decorated a box and made enough Valentines for our entire co-op. It was lots of work, but well worth it. The kids were so excited about all their "loot."

This year they also had a clown who did face painting and a little show with some "magic tricks." It was very cute.

The icing on the cake for our homeschool co-op day's is that this is all the closer we get to doing schoolwork. :)

Poppin' In

Hello World,

I guess I've been taking one of those blogging hiatuses again. I never mean to, but all the sudden it's 15 days later and I haven't typed one word on my blog, or even attempted to hit the shutter on my camera. It just happens, blink, 15 days have gone by.

So what been happening? You know, life. How do I even explain this stage of life? How do I not sound like a broken record, yet accurately convey that I am busy! How does a girl say she's busy, without it coming across like complaining.

Maybe to simply say this...

I'm busy, I'm so thankful that I'm busy, but I'm busy. I look at each of my children and get chills thinking about who they are. They are children that have come from ME. Wow. They are children that I get to raise and tell them about my Jesus. WOW! My life is just so ideal I can hardly stand it.

But I am busy. Homeschooling 2 children with two toddlers is a study in time management. If you can't manage, you don't have the time. I do wake up some mornings and can't get myself to do the exact same thing that I did yesterday, just hopefully faster. (This morning was one of those mornings.) It's hard to be internally motivated and yet TRY to not be depressed by the external messes. I've learned, the hard way, that for the 4th child, at times you just have to contain them, no matter how bad you feel for them. It's part of that whole management thing.

These little busy factories are so stinkin' cute. I try, every day, to just enjoy them. I find myself yelling less and fretting less when I just decide to enjoy their cuteness. For instance, as I type Lilia is running up and down the hallway. She's supposed to be in quite time and she thinks I can't hear her. She's running on her tippy toes trying to lessen the sound. Little does she know, I hear everything. Apparently Caleb does too. Her "silent running" has now woken him up and he's now calling.

More cuteness. We attended a class at a church that we have recently started attending, last Saturday. As we are pulling out of the driveway Sofie says from the back: "Mom, Dad, why have you started bringing your Bible to church all the time? Is it because this is a Bible Church?" Geesh. Amazing how innocent questions can cut you to the core. :)

So anyway (one of my favorite phrases). I'm here, busy, and thankful for every minute of it.

The Next Stage

We, as a family, are just beginning to transition out of the "exclusive preschool home". Sofie is becoming more of a young lady these days. She's starting to talk about her feelings and thoughts. She's starting to be able to handle more mature things, like independent school work or leading her brother and sister in their morning devotions.

I, myself, have been a little hesitant about this new stage. I have just loved her being a baby/ toddler/ young girl. I know I've said before, that my Mom said she's just loved whatever stage she was in with us kids. But I'm starting to understand her words on an even more profound level with Sofie getting older. It's truly a gift to be able to go through this stage of her life with her.

One of the latest things she and I have been doing together is learning to crochet! Believe it or not, she made this hair scrunchie herself. I did, probably, the first 1/3 of it. Then she got the knack of the "single crochet" stitch that bound the yarn to the rubber band, and then she was off like a rocket. I don't know how to crochet, so it's been great to have an excuse to use a "pre-teen" book to learn all the basic stitches under the guise of that I'm "helping" her.

Yes, much fun in this stage. :)

Help?

Is it still considered help,
when you have to clean up after they are done?

John

Aaaah, that's better.

Looking into the face of my oldest son always makes the grown-up stuff of this world melt away. I remember that I get to be his Mom and I am so thankful for him.

He is closing in on his golden birthday next month. February 6th he will be 6 years old. I haven't asked him anything about his birthday. But seeing as I have less than a month. I better get crackin'!

He's doing smashingly well with his Kindergarten studies this year. Yesterday his reward for finishing his reading lesson (they are getting progressively more difficult) was that I would play a Wii game with him. He TROUNCED me at Wii boxing! I've never seen a little boy duck and weave so fast. I don't think I'm going to take up on any boxing talent he might have though, will stick with virtual punches and jabs.

He loves ANYTHING Lego. We have SO MANY Lego sets around here. I haven't quite figured out the best way to store and display all the sets. But I think there are many Lego years yet to come. So I'd better figure something out.

Yes, my John boy. I'm so glad you are my son.