Do you ever just not have anything to say?  That's me tonight.  We had a nice normal day, friends visited for lunch, we took a walk in the lovely weather.  It was lovely:)  Hope your day was great too!

Pnut's First Basketball Game

Pnut had her first basketball game on Saturday.  The poor little girl was extremely intimidated once she was out on the court.  She practices well, but once she is out there with all those boys it is a whole different story!  She is the only girl on her team.  The boys are really nice to her though.  Hopefully a few more weeks and she will be more confident!

She is so cute!

Upcoming School Thoughts

We have had a busy two days as yesterday I was cleaning for my mom and today we got school done and went to co-op.  I taught my second preschool class, and it went well.  I just need to find something that is going to fill up the time a little more.  I read them three books and we did a craft, but I think next week I will also add in a coloring page to stretch out the time.  Apparently, a few of them really like to color, and that will help.  They are in the same room for three hours, which quite a long time when you are 3 or 4, especially since they aren't really getting outside to play and burn energy.  I have two more ideas, but one of them is only a baby idea; I need to flesh it out more.  I want to do something for Valentine's Day next week as we won't meet the next week.  I'm trying to think of some different crafts for them to make, maybe cards for their parents.  I saw some cute little birds to make, but they might be too advanced.  We'll see.

So it is coming up, sort of, on the CHAP convention.  That is the local homeschool convention where all the vendors come and bring their curriculum and speakers come to give talks.  I am so excited!  I do love curriculum, but I try to do all my research ahead of time so I don't buy anything  that I don't really want.  I am currently looking into Singapore math.  We are using RightStart Math, which I love, but it only has 5 levels plus a geometry level so it won't get us the whole way through.  I am hoping they are working on higher levels, but I don't know.  They are both based on the ways math is done in much of Asia, where they have much higher math scores.  They value comprehension over quantity of work.  I'm planning to stick with our reading program for next year as Pnut does seem to be enjoying.  I will most likely be borrowing my sister's history program for first grade, which I believe we will like as it seems to be mostly set up in story form.  For science, I think we are going to take a Charlotte Mason approach.  I am still learning about curriculum based on her methods, but I am very excited about the things I am reading. 

I also turned in my papers today regarding teaching next year.  I am going to be teaching both semesters, one in the preschool and one with Pnut's first grade class.  We are going to do an enrichment class called A Bug's Life as long as it is approved. 

I am just so thankful that we can homeschool!  I love having our children here and teaching them and seeing them learn and comprehend.  I don't know what I would do if Pnut had to be away 8 hours a day!

Just a Normal Day!

We got two days of school in today and had a nice day just catching up on normal.  Of course tomorrow is abnormal and will mess us all up again, but that is okay, at least today was good.  We had a very silly little boy here today.  He cracks me up because he just runs around laughing at stuff.  Stuff that isn't funny so who knows what he is laughing at.  I was working on supper, and I peeked into the living room as I hadn't seen him recently, and he was running back and forth on the couch, laughing of course.  Crazy child.  Pnut and Pilly both took really good naps; their friends must have worn them out yesterday.  I know they wore me out! 

On Thursday for homeschool group, we are going to make octopi so I went to the library tonight, and the very helpful librarian helped me find some stories about octopus.  They are cute, and I think I will read two of them as we were too fast last time and I think our activity isn't going to take us too long!  We are going to glue tissue paper legs onto octopus heads and they can decorate their heads however.  I have two more lessons thought of and I will need to come up with four more.  I love this age group and will probably take this class again next year!

Pilly's Party

These are some pictures from Pilly's Minnie Mouse birthday party, where a good time was had by all!  Our camera was on a weird setting and took some awful pictures, but we are glad for the memories:)

Throwing in the Towel

I'm done.  I admit defeat.  I cannot decorate with food.  Cannot.  Proof:

That is supposed to be a Minnie Mouse cake pop.  Of course, you may not be able to tell, but one of the ears if falling off towards the middle.  Let me give you a side view:

What's that you say?  That is the most misshapen Minnie Mouse head ever?  I know.  I don't know why I thought I would be able to make these.  Sometimes I can't even pull off a two layer cake.  I honestly don't know why I try.  I have several friends and a MIL who do wonderful food decorating.  I really have no patience for it, and before I even got this far I was thinking how much my back hurt from all the standing I had to do.  So, in a way, I was relieved when it didn't work. 

The girls at Pilly's party will be having cake balls covered in chocolate and decorated with heart sprinkles.  And I don't even think they will care! 

But, if you ever hear me say I am going to do something that sounds like it involves decorating food, just says cake pops.  And I will remember, hang my head in disgust, and call the Giant.

When Mommy is Sick

I felt awful today and ended up sleeping 41/2 hours during they day.  Now I feel a lot better!  But Joel had to take off work and here are some pictures to prove it!

Happy 4th Birthday Pilly!

Happy birthday to my sweet Pilly!  I can't believe that she is four already!

Pajama Story

Tomorrow is Pilly's fourth birthday, and my MIL came up to watch the kids for us on Saturday and brought her some presents.  She brought her two pairs of pajamas:

They each have a pair on.  Of course, the ones Pnut has on shrunk in the wash and are too small, but she still wanted to wear them.  Before you think Pilly is really sweet for sharing her pajamas, let me tell you what she told her Mom Mom.  Jayne was praising her for sharing, and she said, "well, actually, I don't like them."  I don't know how Jayne kept from laughing!  Children are honest!

We've been letting LB color some lately, and he likes to scribble on pictures now.  That is not what he did tonight.

What's that, you can't see the naughtiness in this picture?

How about now?  That is purple and yellow crayon around his mouth.  I fished several pieces out.  Not to be trusted!

Well, I have to wrap some presents and finish the party favors for Saturday.  All five little girls that Pilly invited to her party are coming!  It is going to be a full, but fun, house!

What I'm Reading Now

It's called Discover Your Child's Learning Style, and it is really interesting! 

Randa gave me The Help to read on Sunday, and I finished it last night.  I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more with the ending.  And it is not the type of book to have a sequel.  I just wanted to know more of what happened afterward.  I am looking forward even more to seeing the movie now. 

I made my tomato soup today, and instead of canned tomatoes I used fresh, and I think it turned out well.  I actually can't taste anything, I haven't been able to for four days now, but the texture and color looked right.  I'll let you know once I can taste it!

We didn't really have an exciting day so there is not much to write about tonight!  Have a nice evening:)

Some Cousin Love

It was my niece's birthday on Sunday, and we went over to celebrate with her.

She is five now, and her daddy made her this beautiful cake! 

This chubber lives there too.  Isn't he so sweet??

LB loves his baby cousin so very much!  He would especially like to lay right on top of him!  He wants to pat him and says Awww!

Tenting

We were able to do two days of school today, which was good.  I figured it out, and to finish all of the lessons in our books, we would have to go into June.  Especially since we seem to miss a lot of days.  We rarely do 5 days in a week.  So we are going to buckle down and do better! 

After school, the girls were bored so I asked them if they wanted a tent.  And they did.

They ate lunch in there too.

They really did well, ate their lunches quickly, and didn't let the dog get their food.  Always a miracle, that last one!

It was a nice break-up of our routine, and they played in it for a long time.  It looks like it should be warmer than it is outside so I'll open the back door to check, and it is just way too cold to take them for a walk.  Poor little LB, he turns purple from cold so fast, it isn't funny!  I will need to think up more activities for them!

Drawing Books

We had a relaxing day today.  Pnut claimed that she didn't feel well enough for school so we did art projects and played games.  We tried Red Rover and Sorry today for the first time.  Red Rover is a game that my MIL got Pill for Christmas, and both the girls enjoyed.  They actually can play that one by themselves so we will probably do that again soon.  Sorry started out very well, but eventually Pilly threw in the towel.  We were really almost done, and really I thought she did well.  We also took the ornaments off the tree and put most of the Christmas stuff away with many sad phrases coming from the girls' mouths.  This afternoon, after a short nap because of Pnut's coughing, we played games and then drew.  I've been meaning to mention the two books we got the girls for Christmas.  The first is one that we found pictures from on Pinterest for drawing:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486298671/ref=oh_o04_s01_i00_details

It is a really fun book with simple drawings.  The girls are going through it page by page, and at the beginning are a bunch of birds.  The first day we drew a chick and today was a rooster so we added chicks to our pages after we finished our roosters.  It is fun to see what they draw for backgrounds.

The second book was for Pilly because of her love of dogs:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600591531/ref=oh_o05_s00_i00_details

This one is a little more advanced so we have only done one drawing out of it.  Pilly got a little frustrated because of all the small details.  Her fine motor skills are quite there yet.  But, really, you could tell what she was trying to draw.  It is a fun way to spend the afternoon!

Things I Learned Today

Today I learned that you cannot put a glass pan in the oven, heat it up, and then pour water into it.  It will shatter inside your oven.  In other news, my oven is very clean now!  Pnut now has the stomach bug that Pilly had on Monday morning.  She has not thrown up for a while so I am hoping that part is over.  I am also hoping that I do not get it.  Or Joel or LB.  We just did this a month ago; I thought there was an exemption that said you only have to have this once a year.  Apparently I was wrong. 

I also learned that LB can now turn on our gas burners.  Great.  The girls never messed with those.  He is constantly messing with things, turning knobs, opening doors, removing all the chairs from under the table and pushing them around the kitchen.  He does keep me on my toes!

We had Bible study tonight after one week off, and I am just so thankful for the study, for the group of ladies doing it, and the way the Lord is using it to challenge my thinking, to humble me, and to help me grow in Him.  Just so good.

Back to Normal

We started back to school today, and it went really well.  Tomorrow we are officially 70 days through school.  Since I don't have to report on Pnut yet, we will probably not get to the full 180.  Our reading curriculum only has 160 lessons.  We drew and played and had a nice time today! 

The girls "dressed up fancy."  I especially like Pilly's sunglasses.  LB is wearing a hat that he wore home from the hospital.  It stretches to fit on his head still, but of course he doesn't let it on.

I wanted to post this picture for Kacy.  She got the girls pajamas for Christmas, and she got the right sizes, but for some reason Pilly's are way too big!

I'm so glad to have things back to normal!

Some Christmas Pictures

We have had a lovely Christmas and vacation time.  Joel goes back to work tomorrow, and as much as I enjoy having him home, I will be thankful to get back on schedule.  The girls need it and so do I.  I've almost finished putting away all of the things (the many, many things) they received for Christmas.  Our children are very blessed, but they don't want to get rid of anything so that makes it hard!  I had a big clean-out while they went to the movies with their Daddy, which helped, but I think there is still stuff to get rid of.  There always is though.  So without further ado, our Christmas pictures!

The last picture is Pilly and her giant dog.  She loves that thing and sleeps with it and drags it up and down the stairs.  Really a big hit!  LB actually opened some gifts.  He enjoyed tearing off pieces of paper and ripping them into little pieces.  He also enjoyed tearing pieces of paper off of his sisters' gifts, which did not go over well.  He unwrapped my sister's present so I had to rewrap it. He was really getting into the unwrapping spirit!