Pretty as a Princess

Sophia loves Mrs. Kittty.

Playing Chutes and Ladders with Mama

Halloween events

Trick-or-treating at the mall.

Robot, cowboy, China girl

Our friends (who also homeschool their children) took us to the children's museum.  The kids really enjoyed the dinosaur dig, barge driving simulation and the large Lego exhibit.

This was the ghost hunt at our library storytime.  (They were suckers with a kleenex over them and tied with yarn.)  Lots of fun!  The kids really look forward to this each week.  There is even another homeschool family that attends.

Samuel and Philip must have forgotten about Saturday morning cartoons this morning--and I definitely didn't remind them!  They were quite patient with one another as they went about the house together; first playing Legos, then Hi-Ho Cherrio, and last Chess.  Philip is starting to be interested in Chess and played a long while this time.

out of this world

Last night, Philip was outside with the others looking at the stars.  They came in all excited that they had seen a wishing star.  A few moments later, Philip comes up to me in the kitchen and quietly confides in me, "Mom, do you want to know what I wished for?  I wished that I would grow up and be a scientist." (Where did that come from?!  Cute.)

LOOK WHAT WE DID IN SCHOOL TODAY :)

The kids worked well on their written work today, all at the same time.  It was a joyful moment for me.  I kept walking from one to the other, answering questions they had.  Very sweet.

Sophia dictated a letter to her cousin and had a fun time decorating it with stickers.

The boys played very kindly and patiently with each other after their written work was completed.

How many kids does it take to make a box of mac'n'cheese?  :)

They rode their bikes two and a half blocks until Sophia was tired of her chain continually falling off.  She did wonderfully though!

In the afternoon, our friend and her two daughters brought over Mrs. Kitty for a "play date" with Buddie!  She needs a new home due to our friend's husband's cat allergies.  She is as patient as Buddie with kids.  When she first arrived, the kids got all excited and cornered her.  I was worried and thought, "oh no" and tried to redirect the kids.  Before they even could hear me though, I noticed Mrs. Kitty was enjoying the attention, happy as can be!  When she wanted out, she climbed through them, cool as a cucumber.  That test did it for Jess and I.  I received the go-ahead this evening!  Time to buy some kitty food!  (Oh, and she and Buddie are already . . . well, buddies.  Perfect fit for our family!  Hooray!)

If you visit us and have cat allergies, please don't worry.  If we vacuum and wash our couch slip covers and keep Mrs. Kitty in the garage (they said she would be happy there for this and is used to it) I am hoping she won't make you too miserable.  As long as the kitty isn't in the house now, my friend's husband doesn't get bothered with his allergies.  I hope the same will be true for our visitors.

Look WHAT WE DID IN SCHOOL TODAY :)

The kids each colored a couple printouts of common leaves for our area.  Then, we sorted our real leaves we had collected from a walk and glued them to pain papers.  Using our printout, we attempted to classify the leaves we had brought home.  The kids were all equally enthusiastic about this!  It was so much fun to see them so actively participating in learning together.   After that, we had our devotions and headed out to Moments--a mother's group for me and an excellent walk-thru-the-Bible class for the kids.  

When we arrived home after Moments, Sophia and Philip were asleep.  Samuel and I set to work writing a Thank You letter to Grandpa Allen and Grandma Lynn for the McDonalds money that we had just enjoyed for lunch.  So super fun!  They even got Happy Meals.  They were quite excited!

Around 3:00, our neighbor friends picked up Samuel so he could spend the afternoon with them--including going to the cinema in town to see the Legend of the Guardians.  Philip, Sophia and I picked up Jess and headed to Decatur to drop Jess off at a class.  We visited the Motor Sports shop where a cousin works but decided against calling her to visit.  Still, the kids loved the shop!  Philip really likes motorcycles and 4-wheelers!

A Harley he liked.

I wonder why she liked this one . . . 

I could not believe Philip fit these mini 4-wheelers.  You should have seen the look in his eyes when he realized this!  

After that, we had a blast at the mall.  The pet shop was very tempting . . . meow.

They kids were hysterical over Frankenstein.  

We were in the van a lot today, so we listened to some of The Little House in the Big Woods on CD.  They told stories of wild black panthers and bears that "Pa" would have to fight and shoot down.  Later, out of the blue, Sophia says, "Mom, I like living in our home.  I glad we don't live in the woods. . . There's lots of wild animals in the woods."  Poor little girl!  I hope she doesn't have a bad dream!  So cute.

LOOK WHAT WE DID IN SCHOOL TODAY :)

Sophia showed great interest in learning her shapes and tracing them today.  She did several wipe-away worksheets with me and then with Samuel while I worked with Philip. 

Philip finishing his Kumon Book of Cutting!  (He receives a really cool paper airplane out of a book I bought at Barnes and Noble when he completes a workbook.)

Philip wrote two letters today--one to his cousin in Florida and another to his good friend in Texas.  His writing is really coming along nicely.  

Within minutes of getting home, Jess is on the floor with the boys constructing a kite that Samuel has wanted to do for a while.  Thank you Great Grandpa Jimmie!

They did a great job--and it was complicated!  Such a cool kite!

Tonight, over a french toast and sausage link dinner, we are all silent because we love breakfast for dinner and our mouths are full.  Sophia then breaks the silence with a pondering voice and informs me, "Mom, I like you come you a girl."  She was serious.  It was impossible not to giggle.  She looked confused, then just joined in the laughing as if she understood.

Let's go on a walk to the library.

"Mom, My arms are tired.  Bitty Baby is too heavy.  She's going to have to walk."

"Can we throw rocks in the water?"

We are walking along and suddenly Philip lags behind and yells, "Hey Mom!  Look at this!"  He was really intrigued that the new sidewalk was smooth while the old sidewalk was rough--he called it soft and hard at first!

our favorite balance beam

at the library at last 

 (I know this is blurry and Jess said not to include it but it was too cute to leave out!)

Columbus diorama

calm sea

rough sea

Lumberjack Competition and Horse Taming

A man trained wild horses from local owners.  Neat.

Lumberjacks scaled the poles and back down again.

Log rolling--whoever falls in water loses.

Samuel wanted his autograph--they write on a piece of the wood.

LOOK WHAT WE DID IN SCHOOL TODAY :)

Today was nice.  The neighbor lady stopped to chat over the fence and brought fruit snacks for the kiddos.  I thank God for the blessing he has given us in providing for us in many ways so that I may care for our children each day.  It is great to be able to learn right beside them and share in their little discoveries.  Philip was so excited on a walk today that he found a small red stick--amazing discovery!  Thank you to all of you who support us as family and friends in prayer, companionship, great examples, etc.  

pit stop!

It's hard to see on the red table cloth, but there is a jack-in-the-box that Philip and I made out of the shape patterns he cut out of the cereal box himself!  So fun!

We have finished our Columbus packets today, as well as our Columbus diorama.  We'll send a photo of it tomorrow when it's all dry!  Samuel's last few sheets were for a bit older kids so we worked together.  Lots of fun for me--major concentration for him!

Sophia is cutting out the sail for the clothespin sail boats for the diorama.  Hers is the Nina.  Samuel made the Pinta and Philip made the Santa Maria (complete with Columbus being posed by a toy pirate!  Oh well!).

Samuel hard at work blowing leaves for Daddy.  

Stinker!  :)

This afternoon, we attended the library storytime and made leaf sun-catchers.  Afterward, we bought a load of books at the library book sale table/shelves.  Good thing we brought the wagon!

My sweet little Tarzan!

LOOK WHAT I DID IN SCHOOL TODAY!

Philip, Sophia and I did some schoolwork on the floor today for some reason!  Samuel was at Jess' desk this time.  (He took the opportunity since Philip usually grabs that hot spot first!)  Philip bought a remote helicopter tonight at Dollar General "because it flies".  I was getting milk and honey and wasn't paying close attention; at home we discovered it doesn't fly.  :(  Poor Philip.  He was a good sport with the disappointment though.  I guess for $5 I should have thought about the fact that it wouldn't fly.