Introducing....

My newest nephew.

This BIG guy is from Tim's side of the family.

His mom and dad are bringing him down for a visit next month - and we can't wait to meet him.

He makes 5 for Tim's parents, and LaRue will make a nice half dozen of 3 of each.

Isn't he just the sweetest?

Welcome to the family Joshua - we love you already!

My Own Shape Puzzle

Hi! You should see what I got for my birthday.

I've got shapes and a neat book.

It makes a great hat. But mom said it was a puzzle book.

See, we made a giraffe. I handed mom the shapes and pointed to where they go. Mom put them where I pointed. It was funny. The shapes slide around a lot. But I had a lot of fun.

Happy Birthday Matthew and Joel

Matthew is already 4, and Joel has another couple of weeks - but we picked a nice halfway between date to have a party.

It's not as good as Mom would have made... but it looked really good.

Matthew wanted a train - the engine (512) is his favorite and goes everywhere with him.

Joel wanted Nemo - he's got 3. So he has the beach and ocean part of the cake.

Looks yummy - Matthew's part was chocolate.
Joel's part was French vanilla (for the sand).

It was POURING rain outside - so the party (nearly 50 people) came inside. (Thanks Dad).

Joel blew his candles right out. Matthew was more hesitant. And wouldn't you know I accidently gave him a sparkler candle that won't blow out! Poor fellow. But a nice range of sisters and cousins obliged by helping him get his candles out.

The Egg Game

Joel has a new game.

So far he's enjoying it - but we've missplaced one orange egg.

As he finds his eggs, he reads the number and sticks them in the right pocket of the egg carton.

Sometimes he hides the eggs, and sometimes a big sister hides them. Never in a really HARD spot. The goal is to put the eggs away - but he enjoys the "hide and seek" part too.

School Plans for Next Year

Nobody has asked ... but I did say this would be a homeschooling blog .. right?

So here's what we have planned for our next school year - which I plan to start in early August and take a break when the baby comes late September or early October.


School Plans for 2009 – 2010 Proposal

Rod and Staff – 10% off RS through April 15, purchase directly not online
Alpha Omega – 20 % off April, 15% off in May, all orders
Christian Liberty – 25% off CL items during March and April, online only

Joel – K4

1. 30+ minutes DAILY work with large and small motor skills – sorting, sewing, stacking, painting, drawing, manipulatives, playdough, etc.

2. 30m – 1hr walk DAILY – build strength in large muscles. Plus WEEKLY or more trip to park for climbing and running – again, to build large muscle strength and balance.

3. 2 days a week continue working with her Preschool class group. Book 2 of the Horizon Preschool.

4. After Christmas (maybe sooner), 1 or 2 days a week, Horizon Kindergarten with Matthew. I don’t expect to get very far, but I’m sure both boys will enjoy it.
Math K Set - $59.95
Phonics Student Books 1 and 2 - $13.50 each
Teacher Guide 1 - $7.95
Reader Set - $40

6. Memory – 15 minutes daily AWANA Cubbies work

7. Bible – 1 section daily of Christian Character Builder for Cubbies

8. Science/History – books and videos from the library that will stretch his vocabulary and raw knowledge

Vannan – 6th Grade

1. Bible – 6th Rod and Staff – God’s Chosen Family As A Nation
p. 87 Pupil Book - $7.35
Tests - $1.55

2. English – Finish 5th and Start 6th
p. 97 – 6th Worksheets - $2.95
Tests - $1.95

3. Reading – 5th A Time To Plant – Might Start 6th
p. 84 – 6th Workbook - $2.80

4. Spelling – Christian Liberty Spelling 6
p. 18 Workbook - $8.99
Teacher Key - $3.99

5. Math – Finish 5th – Start 6th
p. 93 – Tests - $1.95

6. Science – Topic Study

7. History – Greeks/Romans/New Testament Study

8. PC – Topic Study

9. Memory – PC and AWANA

10. Literature – Selected books and discussion

11. ART – 5th Rod Staff
p. 118 - $7.95

Kendra – 9th Grade

1. Bible – Topic Study based on “Far Above Rubies” and PC

2. English – 8th finish and Start 9th book
p. 98 – Book 1 Set for 9th Grade - $36.45

3. Reading – 8th Finish and Start/Finish 9th Grade
p. 85 – Grade 9 Book Set – A Time To Heal - $20.05

4. Spelling – 8th Rod Staff (already purchased)

5. Math – Geometry from Christian Liberty (Bob Jones curriculum and reusable)
p. 37 – Text - $34.20
Teacher - $47. 50
Tests - $3.99

6. Science – Topic Study

7. History – Greeks/Romans/New Testament Study

8. PC – Topic Study

9. Memory – PC and AWANA

10. Literature – Selected books and discussion

11. ART – 5th Rod Staff
p. 118 - $7.95

12. Teacher Training – Joel and Puggle Teaching



Plus Streams of Civilization Historical charts - $16.14

Things Don't Always Go As Planned

Sooner or later, I'm going to run out of creative update titles. Hmmmm...

But I've actually found - things almost never go as I plan them. I think I actully have a talent for mostly saying or doing or planning things "wrong". But that's neither here nor there.

Anyway ...

Let's see ... Joel - nearly 4. So hard to believe, and such a sweet and caring little boy. He's had a not quite croupy cough for the last several nights. Monday he fell asleep during Grandma's birthday party and my dad just put him down in the bunk house with Bethie and Marriana. Some time in the night he began snoring and coughing and ended up keeping Dad and the girls disturbed most of the night. The next night I was ready with the Highlands Cough tablets and Vicks Vapor Rub, and the cough session lasted less than an hour. So Wednesday night, I gave him the Cough and Sinus tablet at bedtime, and Tim later Vicksed him down. His coughing session was much looser and shorter, but he had a low fever ... plus was wandering around searching for something - after half an hour I realized he was looking for his Glow Stick he got at AWANA in his Awards sack. I assured him it was in the freezer for tomorrow night - and he went right back to sleep. Yesterday, he took a LONG nap. And although it took him a long time to settle to sleep last night, he's still asleep, and only small coughs all night. WHEW.

On Tuesday, we tried to make lint clay. Not recommended if their are a lot of long haired people in the family - the hair that gets into the lint trap makes it smell funny. We found the clay slimy and the kids didn't enjoy working with it. Not even our Bug Boy. But we made stars as best we could - it was pretty difficult to form them. Then set them out to dry. Since they were not drying well in the house, I had the girls move Joel's picnic table into the garden area and put them out in the sun to dry. I checked on them last night and they were hardening quite nicely. Later, after putting Vannan next door for the night so she can sleep in with Marriana in the mornings ... I only saw 2 of the stars. Kendra and I searched and searched - couldn't figure out where they went. We brought in the remaining 2 - UGH they smelled AWFUL - like WET DOG. UGH ... LUCY. Lucy is the neighbor dog and (my opinion - and I am NOT a dog person) quite a huge pest. Vannan found the remaining 3 stars - chewed up a lot - down at the barn this morning - and they STUNK. After gulping for air and nearly loosing my breakfast several times, I told her just to drop them in the dumpster trash outside. ..... UGH. So now, I've got to come up with another star idea for the preschoolers to paint on Tuesday. Maybe I'll just get them wooden ones from Micheal's?

Wednesday night was AWANA Awards. It was also when we said "Good-bye" to the last of the company. It was really nice having Grandma and Aunt Vivian here - but I'm sure they are glad to be home again. We will miss them though. Anyway - back to the Awards. Joel got his first book award. Vannan got the FIRST Timothy Award in the family. I hope somebody took pictures - because I forgot and had my hands full with the Cubbies. Then there was a nice social afterwards. Joel was kind of funny - he wanted another cookie, so I told him he had to eat another sandwich first. He did and got the MnM cookie. LOL

Vannan talked Tim into getting her some stakes and leashes/chains for the goats. She plans to stake out the goats around the yard to eat greens during the day so she has to pull fewer weeds. She loves to sit outside with them while she does school work. She's almost completed her school work for the year, and is quite excited. She went to the asthma doctor last week - they upped her meds again. She gets pretty goopy in the spring and fall, and one lung was wheezing. But right now, I'm most concerned about her teeth. I don't like any of the 3 Medicaide dentists (they have reputations for running up unneeded bills) - and she has to wait until she is 12 to qualify for any of the other dentists. BUT, she needs several teeth pulled - no room for them in her little mouth, and braces soon. She commented the other day that 4 of her permanent teeth are moving. Not what a parent wants to hear. We had hoped to be able to get her in with the insurance Tim got while he was working - only good for April and May (though April was almost done - and it took 1/3 of May to get our cards) and then with the funeral ... well, now May is over.

Kendra has figured out how to transcribe music to play on her lap harp and write up her own cards. I think that's pretty cool. She's doing a great job on the garden (of course, both girls work on it - but she considers it HER garden.) She's still stuck on the sewing lifepac in her HomeEc class. We'll not talk about her school work. She's crocheting a pretty green blanket for Matthew. I think she's about half done.

Marriana stays with us most days. Joel is trying to teach her how to write her name. She pretty much has begun to copy what Joel does most days - running around with paper and pencil and writing or drawing all day. I've got to get them outside more - but that will come as we figure out our new schedule. Lots of adjustments to make.

Me - I'm hanging in there - too busy most days to think much - you just do and collapse at the end of the day hoping that the important things got done. I really don't feel like I'm in control of any of it. I saw this strange show the other day on TV - people were running a malicious obsticle corse as fast as they could - sort of like the Gladiator show Tim and I use to watch before we got cable in Colorado. Anyway - that 's how I feel - except I feel like I'm running the course blind folded. Missing stars, loose teeth, death, life - nothing going according to MY plan. Depression plays at the edge of my brain - so easy to go there. .... Not for the first time, I wonder how people who don't trust God manage to get to the end of life? I'm not sure I could keep going without hearing his voice at the back of my mind reminding me, "All things work together for the good of them that love God ... " or "My ways are higher than your ways ... " and other verses to remind me that God has his hand on what happens. Well, I've got to get back to packing and lesson plans.

We're going on "vacation".... not really. We are hiding at Tim's parents house while my Dad bombs the bugs ... all the rain has driven new hoards of roaches into the house from the fields. He's going to bomb tonight while most of them are out running around ... and again in the early morning. Then spray around, under, and in the house. He's doing Rhoda's house too while she's at a Woman's retreat. I hope she has a lot of fun. She's taking Valarie. Terry and the boys will bunk out with my dad. Should be fun. And hopefully, when we all get back - there will be far fewer roaches to contend with. I do NOT like roaches. Although Shianne freaked us all out at Preschool on Tuesday when she picked one up and started petting it. LOL I should have gotten a picture. What do you call a bug scientist? Entamologist or something? Anyway, wouldn't surprise me if she or Alex grew up to be one. Preschoolers are so fascinating.

Cubbies Learn about Being Doers of the Word

Each Cubbie made a poster for their room or wall or refrigerator.

Everyone had a different style.

We were suppose to wear purple for "Royalty night" but also combined last weeks "water night" with our last "store night".
We were BUSY.

And our story was about the woman who filled pots with oil to sell to keep her sons from being sold into slavery.
It's one of my favorites.

Grand Prix Race Cars

Joel's car is the yellow one on the far left. The pink to ther right is Esther's. The blue one next to it was Katie's. The pink and red one with hearts was made by Vannan - In Memory of Grammy. I helped Matthew with his Green John Deere Tractor Truck. It won first place. Vannan won third. The yellow one with roses was Marriana's and Kendra made that one.

Kendra made a foot bridge and won 3rd place. The blue horse "bus" was Bethie's. I think the cat won first place and the banana won second.

I don't remember which car was Xavier's. One of the black one's I think, and it won a speed trophy too. But Shianne's was the pink one with a horse in the back.

Grand Prix Day

Our Garden Update

Peppers

Zucchini

Cucumbers

We've had so much rain! Everything is growing so FAST!

Kendra took these pictures after we got home from Mom's funeral.

A few of Mom's flowers

These were a few I thought the prettiest - she had so many. I'm sure I've missed several nice ones, many were potted plants, and some pictures came out very blurred.

Updates

I haven't had much time online - partly due to being busy, partly due to Tim being online instead, and partly due to computer problems, and partly due to being too tired to even think.

It's been a hard week. Very active. But I'm almost too tired to remember much of it. I don't think I even took many pictures. We did resume preschool this week, and had our last AWANA meeting. Next week we do Awards night. Company all week - enjoyable. By the way ... what day of the week is it?

Uh... must be Saturday if we are cleaning house and getting ready for Joel and Matthew's birthday party.

Anyway...not much has changed. Tim's still looking for a job. Last night and this morning he's reffing basketball. He will do that off and on through the summer.

WIC measured Joel at 40 inches and 38 lbs. According to the charts, Joel is borderline for being obese. The nurse looked at Joel and decided he definately was not at risk. He's built with wide shoulders and wide hips and good muscle tone (he's outside a lot) and he eats mostly fruits, vegetables, and meats - very little sugar. He's a muncher, but he munches pretty healthy all day. Yeah, he's not starving ... at all and still has a pronounced baby face and baby belly ... but not fat.

Kendra has been sewing a border onto a yellow blanket for Joel's birthday. I'll put up pictures on Picasa after the party.

All 3 LaRue Pictures

Introducing

LaRue Kirsten

Due Oct. 4

We saw 10 fingers and 10 toes, a nice heart beat. Even her face a couple of times.

Birthday Wagon

Tim's parents bought Joel and I this bright yellow garden wagon for our birthdays!

It's a little early - but we were really needing it.

Isn't it pretty!

Isn't it BIG!

Then we had to use it. Kendra told Grandma that clover tastes really good.

The girls picked greens for the goats. It only took one load!

Hmmm... we're getting a bald patch.

It was a welcome diversion from the events of the weekend.

Joel's Bow

Look, It's a bow!

If you are a boy (he's signing boy), then you wear the bow here.

If you are a girl (sign for girl), then you wear the bow up here!