Colonial us

It has been a very colonial beginning to our school year! A few others ladies and I decided to make our own little Classical Conversations (CC) co-op at my house rather than shell out the big bucks to do it with the official one. We meet every other week and the kids (five actually doing school and two babies) have a blast! This year CC is focusing on American history, which worked out well with our family vacation to Williamsburg. I made Samy a very simple colonial dress to help her get into it a little more. We read some books about the time period too, but they still preferred climbing trees and playing in the dirt to seeing all the cool historic buildings :) Oh well! We also spent some time at the pool, mini golfing, ice cream eating, and (the kids favorite part) watching Episodes 1 and 2 of Star Wars that we borrowed from friends :) I, on the other hand, LOVED Williamsburg and would love to go every year! They had this fun game called RevQuest where they give you a set of instructions when you check in and special bandannas to wear. You meet your secret informant who starts you off on your secret mission and tells you to beware of spies (anyone not wearing the same color blue as the bandanna). Isaac and Samy liked the secret spy part and kept Daddy from getting us thrown in jail when someone started asking him questions related to our secret mission. Isaac said, "He's a spy, Dad! Stop talking to him!" You are given clues and have to find answers around Williamsburg and then text answers to get the next clue and if you are successful in saving the person from danger by figuring out the whole message then you get a little coin with the year and Colonial Williamsburg on it. It was so much fun, though the clues were way over our kids' heads. I sure enjoyed it :) Well, we completed our mission a little after the time of the ceremony where you receive your coin (you find out the secret time and place when you finish the game), and we were leaving the next morning, which was a big bummer! But God was so kind to allow us to see our "secret informant" we had met that morning and I asked her if it was possible to get the little prize for the kids. She was so kind and met us behind a building and went through the whole thing with us about the mission and giving us all our coins. It was great!

And then we also took a field trip with lots of friends to a colonial farm nearby in late September. We got to card and spin wool, crush grain, make candles by dipping wicks into beeswax, play some games from the time period, and then explore the farm while talking with a farmer's wife (very in character!). We even pulled weeds in the garden :)

Isaac's birthday party

Is it sadder that it took us a month to have his birthday party or that it took me two months to post pictures?? :)

My big boy certainly had a blast at his Star Wars party!  He invited a few friends and their families for an evening of Jedi training, galactic grilling and Wookiee cookies.  Keith trained all the young Jedi to be ready for battle: running through a little obstacle course, whacking Storm Troopers while avoiding Princess Leia, balancing, "thermal detonator" toss, and then finally destroying the Death Star pinata (that took me a week to make and 30 seconds to destroy).

We're experiencing some technical difficulties

Sorry for the long silence here...my computer is down and only works in safe mode, which means i can't get my pictures off my camera.  Apparently my computer wasn't a big fan of Isaac playing Lego games online :) 

So we've been busy little bees around here since my last post: the boys went camping, Grandma came for a visit, Grandan and Bubbe came for a visit, planning for home school, replacing and painting the boards on our front porch, and just all the normal stuff of life.
Luke is huge!  3 months old now and around 15 pounds.  The boy is the most contented baby I've ever seen, such a little sweetie!  He's sleeping from around 10 pm till sometimes 9 am!  He LOVES to suck his thumb (which may be why he's so very content), but he also loves to talk to people and see their faces.  It really is like a conversation in baby talk :)

Isaac turns 6 this Thursday!!  I can't even believe how quickly these years have gone!  He is a great reader, but we're still working on that love for reading :)  He and Samy were begging me to start school this past week after some of our stuff arrived in the mail, so I read them some history stuff which they weren't so excited about.  But have been having a good time with the geoboards and rubber bands :)

My parents arrive Wednesday, the last of our summer visitors.  Can hardly wait!  For them to arrive, I mean, not that they be the last :)
Whenever my computer is up and running again I'll post some pictures and hopefully get a few more posts about life in the near future!

For the dads in my life

I wanted to wish my Daddy and my Keith a happy father's day on here so I could tell you all how grateful I am for them!

Daddy, I am grateful for your example of hard work (even in "retirement"!) and providing for your family.  You have always been faithful to help all us kids with any and every house project we could throw at you, patiently teaching your sons and sons-in-law as you did (but thank  you to Matthew for breaking him in for Keith!). 
I am grateful that you are so committed to your family that you would drive hours and hours to be with us in our various states, toting along truck-fulls of generosity. 
I am grateful that you care enough to remember things that I don't even remember that need to be fixed in our house and then bring the stuff to fix them.
I am grateful that you are willing to sit down and play with your grand kids, to take them camping, to build special things for them and with them.
I am grateful that you would release (and encourage) Mom to come BACK up here to take care of me and the kids after Luke was born.
I am grateful that you took care of me for 24 years and then lovingly gave me away to Keith. 
I am grateful that you are my Dad and always will be!

Now to my precious husband!
Keith, I am so grateful that you love the Savior more than you love me and the kids!  That you pursue Him first and with passion. 
I am grateful for your leadership in our home--for taking initiative to lead us in God's Word in principle and practice, for being a good steward of our finances and time, for planning family time and making memories, for making decisions and carrying the weight of responsibility.
I am grateful for your humility and how much you've grown over the last couple years--confessing sin, patiently bearing with your sinful wife and children, not seeking to draw attention to yourself, seeking others' input.
I am grateful that you take care of us--you provide for us without grumbling, working hard as unto the Lord both at work and at home.
I am grateful that you are so eager to bless us with things that we love--camping, flowers, bagels to name a few :)
I am so grateful that you married me and are the father of my children!!  I couldn't ask for a better dad for Isaac, Samy and Luke!
We love you so very much!!!!! 
Happy Father's Day!!!

Isaac the Graduate

Yesterday was Isaac's kindergarten graduation picnic!  It has been a wonderful year at school, I know Isaac will miss his buddies and Mrs. Goodling, his teacher.  They gave the kids "diplomas" and each child received an award for character traits that they demonstrated throughout the year.  It was so precious!  And I was almost in tears listening to each award as I've gotten to know Isaac's class so well because Samy and I helped almost every Wednesday morning (until Luke!).  Isaac received the contentment award--something he's certainly grown in at home too. 

Isaac has certainly worked hard this year and been an eager learner!  He's one of the top readers in his class and is way beyond kindergarten level in math (must take after both mommy and daddy!).  We're so proud of you big boy for doing an excellent job at school this year!!

Isaac and his buddy Ky

Lukey at the picnic

Mrs. Goodling

Mrs. Henry, Isaac's art teacher and teacher's aid

just cute :)

Here's my first attempt at putting up a video...Isaac getting his diploma and award.

Sundays and such

Most of you probably know that we love spending our Sunday evenings eating popcorn, drinking lemonade and watching America's Funniest Videos.  While since the NBA playoffs were on last Sunday evening, we had our popcorn on the front porch, followed by football and tag.  Isaac and Samy were too cute sitting together on the swing talking about Star Wars and princesses I'm sure :) 

Luke is growing like an adorable little weed!  He's grown 3 inches!!!  I haven't weighed him, but I guarantee he's still at the top of the chart.  I caught a few smiles on camera this week and had to share those.

While Daddy was away

Keith got to go to the NEXT conference in Orlando over Memorial Day weekend, which meant me alone with three kids for four days.  So I purposed to do lots of fun things we don't normally do, knowing that my temptation toward anger would be that much greater without Keith here to help.
As soon as Keith left Saturday morning we headed out to pick strawberries!  They weren't nearly as sweet as last year, but maybe it's because it's the very beginning of the season.  Samy had only one strawberry in her bucket at the end of it all because they all went straight to her mouth!  No wonder she had a tummy ache :)  When she had had her fill she started picking flowers instead.  Isaac lasted a little longer, and Luke slept the whole time.  We'll have to go with friends later in the season so they'll be more distracted and I can get more berries!
That afternoon Isaac's best little buddy from school came over along with him mom, and little brother and sister since his daddy had gone with our daddy to the conference.  The kids  had a super time running around and I got some time talking with my friend.  Then mac-n-cheese for dinner (their fav!) and ice cream for dessert.
Sunday after church we went to a little deli for lunch and ran into a couple Keith met through his evangelistic bible study last month.  They were so happy to meet the kids as they had already dubbed themselves Aunt Gloria and Uncle Peter :)
Oh, I should also mention that I woke up Sunday morning with no voice!  It was almost gone Saturday night, but I could scarcely speak by Sunday morning!  Allergies are in full bloom here ya know!  And then I must have pulled something in my back putting Luke in the car after lunch b/c I couldn't get the car seat out when we got home.  I could barely move without shooting pain!  I was finding all this somewhat humorous since Keith was gone when I lost my voice and could barely move :)  God's grace was quite evident that I was reacting in laughter instead of anxiety or anger!

Since it was blisteringly hot Monday I got out the Slip-n-Slide for the kids and they had a blast, though Samy was to afraid to actually slide, she just scooted herself down :)  Before he left Keith had gotten the A/C unit in the kids' room but forgot about the one in our room.  It was an adventure getting that heavy unit to our window, especially with my back out of whack :)  but Luke and I needed to sleep in the cool, it had to be close to 90 in our room!  Again, laughing that we were having a heat wave while my hubby was away, as well as our neighbors, so no help there.
Tuesday Isaac was back to school, which means out the door by 7:30 to pick up our friends' kiddos and make it on time.  Well, getting three kids out the door that early after a rough night (because Luke was in the room with me) was hard enough, and we were already a few minutes late, but then I went and locked my keys in the house after getting everyone in the car!  I called Helen and said I was so late and she took her boys to school.  And I was just grateful that it was so hot that day because I had already opened all the windows downstairs, so I pried off a screen and climbed in :)

Let me just tell you, I was so happy to see my dear hubby that evening :)  But truly, there was so much grace in the midst of all the hiccups in my plans!  I know how I have reacted to such things in the past, with anger and harsh words toward my children (whether it be their fault or not), but the Holy Spirit was working miracles in my sinful heart this weekend!  I truly was finding humor in the myriad of difficulties and seeing all the good gifts of friends and fun and not setting my expectations too high.  It was only by the grace of God! 

Here's some pics of the weekend and lots of little Lukey :)